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Posts by restlessmason54

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Brutal Capitalism and the USD in World ·
coastalridge64 said:If people actually listen to Barroso’s speech today, that smile is going to vanish pretty fast. I'm genuinely worried about what happens if folks decide to storm Parliament in Greece, though I hope it doesn't come to that. If the USD collapses, we're all going down with the ship.

Well, we’ll be sucking air regardless, so honestly, just move your savings into USD and you won't have a single thing to worry about, mark my words.😁
Brutal Capitalism and the USD in World ·
Joshua Patel6 said:Suppose we were to witness a total collapse of the USD... what on earth would happen to all those consumer loans people have taken out in dollars?

Well, it really boils down to which bank you're dealing with and who they answer to on the global stage. There are basically two ways this could play out. The first one—which is incredibly unlikely—is that your loan gets essentially reset from scratch (this would only happen if the entire US economy declared total bankruptcy, which, even in my most pessimistic moods, seems pretty much impossible).
Then there's the second scenario, which is much more realistic: the debt gets converted into some kind of new, replacement currency (maybe something like a new version of the US dollar or even gold-backed?). If they switch to a new currency that's significantly stronger than the old one, you have to be prepared for the fact that your monthly payments might end up doubling overnight. 😁 😁
At the end of the day, I'm still just talking about fiat paper here; I wouldn't bother dragging precious metals into the conversation unless they actually became a standard part of everyday commercial transactions again.
Brutal Capitalism and the USD in World ·
Look, you have to understand that lately, everything is being over-commercialized through the media—especially online—particularly when it comes to the current, rather bleak economic outlook here in America.
I truly believe that if a total collapse of the US Dollar were actually to happen, you wouldn't even realize it was occurring until it was far too late; no news outlet is going to be quick enough to catch the moment it breaks. My take is that if a catastrophe of this magnitude actually unfolds, we’ll likely see a period of eerie calm first—that "calm before the storm" feeling, or perhaps a temporary bubble of prosperity—simply because information travels so fast now, assuming it's true that the entire system is being managed by those "societies" pulling the strings. A big part of that feeling comes from how incredibly composed the German Chancellor remains regarding the situation in Greece.

So, I think we’re safe for the next three to five years, but honestly, and I say this with a bit of genuine dread, I fear we might be heading toward some seriously rough times—something that triggers a massive avalanche of events. It just doesn't make sense for things to crumble entirely on their own, and I worry that what could actually trigger it is a major global war serving as a precursor to a massive financial meltdown, primarily across Europe.

In the end, I'm probably being way too negative; just relax and put your faith in the politicians. 😁

This thread could easily be locked, or at least moved over to the master discussion topic about Europe and the "US Dollar."
Daniel Ortiz15 said:So, what was the actual diagnosis?
Though, honestly, I still find it hard to believe someone could actually choke to death on food...

Esophageal narrowing? 🤷
What was your lifestyle even like before all this started happening? Were you just dealing with insufficient saliva production or something?

Which is exactly why you really need to chew your food thoroughly and break it down properly before you try to swallow. 😁
Double chin issues in Health ·
Olivia Cooper11 said:The whole reason I'm reaching out is to tell you that I'm perfectly fine with it. There isn't some magic exercise that's going to tighten up the platysma muscle. If anything, I just end up looking a bit like a frog. 🙄

Look, there is an exercise for it, but man, it is absolutely exhausting! You just have to do rapid-fire repetitions of X-O without stopping.
electrictrucker18 said:The title might be a little silly, but this has been weighing on my mind for quite a while now...

I’ve been dealing with some annoying sinus issues lately, but honestly, my digestion is giving me just as much trouble. Every time I finish a meal—especially if I’ve gone a bit overboard with the portions—I get this weird buildup of phlegm in the back of my throat, which basically sends me sprinting to the bathroom to cough 😁 and clear it all out.

Is anyone else out there dealing with something similar?

That sounds like GERD; it isn't actually phlegm, it's just stomach acid creeping up.
Chris Reed45 said:Honestly, the person who sent you that package should be refunding you directly, since they’re going to get compensated for the lost shipment anyway..
Every single FedEx package comes with standard insurance up to $333, and if you want more coverage, you just pay an extra 1-$0.67 depending on what's inside—it's all right there on the carrier's website in their rate sheet...
If that sender didn't declare the actual value (and I'm pretty sure they're supposed to), then they'll probably just get a measly $333 payout from the carrier. If the package was actually worth $667, they really should have shelled out an extra $0.67 to make sure it was fully covered. Personally, when I ship things worth anywhere from 100 to $100, I don't think twice about paying a few extra bucks; I'm certainly not going to deal with the headache of a lost high-value shipment just to save a measly 2-$1.00.... 😕

The guy who sent it definitely declared the value, so he'll be getting his money back via a claim check, but my issue here is much simpler: I just want my damn package 🤷
This kind of behavior from the postal service, especially when dealing with a declared-value shipment, is completely inexcusable 👍
So, basically, my package is just gone—poof—and somehow I’m left with absolutely zero recourse, not even for the one thing I actually care about: MY OWN PROPERTY.
WHICH IS WHY I’M ISSUING A MASSIVE WARNING TO ANYONE HERE WHO MIGHT BE SENDING OR RECEIVING ANYTHING OF ACTUAL VALUE IN THE FUTURE:DO NOT, under any circumstances, trust FedEx or the US Postal Service with your stuff, because they are nothing more than common thieves! If you absolutely have no other choice, just stick to UPS or USPS instead.
So, I’ve got a bit of an unpleasant story to share regarding my experience with FedEx, and honestly, "unpleasant" might be an understatement. Today, using FedEx at the local post office feels like one of the most secure and streamlined ways to ship something, which is exactly why I opted for their direct package service. It costs $23, which isn't much when you consider that if you need something by 9 AM the next day, competitors like UPS or USPS charge about $17 for a similar level of speed. My main concern here wasn't just the timing, though—it was the security. I sent this package via FedEx on Monday afternoon, and it was supposed to arrive at its destination by 5 PM the following day. Instead, four days have crawled by, and these disorganized, uncoordinated, and frankly untrained clerks at the post office haven't the slightest clue where my shipment went missing, even though it was clearly dispatched to a city like 👍
. It really makes you wonder how much you can actually trust the postal system when you’re dealing with something urgent and incredibly expensive (we're talking about a package worth $667). And what happens if there are precious documents tucked inside that package? Of course, you pay for the shipping COD style. At this point, I have to ask: in this day and age, is being a thief just the most efficient and profitable career path left? Someone obviously swiped the package; they’ll likely face some disciplinary action, but I doubt they'll ever actually see the consequences in a way that matters...
This is my own unfortunate experience, and my sincere advice is to avoid FedEx entirely, especially nowadays when the country's economic stability feels so shaky and people's jobs are constantly under threat (everyone is just doing whatever they can to get by)...
Now, I'm not trying to run an advertisement here, but if you want actual peace of mind, I’d strongly suggest sticking with UPS or USPS, where the security protocols seem to be at a much higher level than the meager protection offered by FedEx....
Even though I've been complaining my head off, I probably won't ever lay eyes on that package again. Even if the person who sent it eventually gets reimbursed for the declared value, it doesn't change the fact that the items are gone. I'd settle for anything at this point...
Daniel Ortiz15 said:People just swallow all these toxins without a second thought, and honestly, now I’m actually terrified of eating anything... everyone keeps trying to reassure me by saying the chance of choking on food is like, what, 0.0000000001 percent?

First off, if I were you, I might look into some kind of antidepressant just to take the edge off those runaway thoughts that keep spiraling in this direction... once you've calmed the mental noise down, you can focus on actual lifestyle changes and cleaning up your diet, which should help settle that acid reflux. Based on everything you're describing, it really sounds like you're dealing with GERD.
Scott Lee13 said:but how does one even begin to fight that instinct...
I mean, it's perfectly normal to want to be with someone I find attractive, but I know I'm overcompensating.
Lately, I've been focusing on younger men—as if that serves as some sort of validation for an unknown reason...
It's almost like I want to shout to the world, "Look at what I can pull off!"—even though, frankly, nobody cares.🙄

To me, this whole thing just screams deep-seated insecurities and a struggle with self-worth.
Scott Lee13 said:But what kind of complexes?
And who exactly am I supposed to be proving anything to at my age?

Childhood traumas? Maybe you're just carrying around some baggage from your younger years without even realizing it.🤷 Were you ever an outcast growing up, or maybe someone people constantly tried to pick on?
The subconscious is a real piece of work.
Scott Lee13 said:I’m facing a significant issue here and could really use some help or advice..

Ever since puberty, I’ve felt this intense compulsion to seek out guys—specifically attractive men or "bad boys" in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, this pattern hasn't stopped, and now—following my divorce—it's resurfaced
I realize how immature this sounds, but I simply can't seem to control the impulse
I've come to the conclusion that this likely stems from a lack of self-confidence—as if I need to "prove" something to myself—but it's causing me genuine trouble
It makes sense that I acted this way when I was younger, but I don't understand why I still feel this drive today
It’s as if I'm only looking at the surface level

Based on the way you described it, if you had asked me before, I probably would have told you it was just some sort of complex or an ego thing where you're trying to prove your worth, but personally, I don't think this has anything to do with self-confidence at all.🤷
Something about the smell in Health ·
Honestly, this just immediately makes me think of those early stages of pregnancy
Best protein powders for muscle gain? in Hobbies & Leisure ·
Tyler Ross86 said:Exactly. But you can't just shake off those "elephant-sized" meals overnight; once your stomach stretches out like that, you're in trouble. If you happen to slip up even a little bit with your workouts for any reason at all, man, you are absolutely doomed. ☕

Wait, why on earth did you make bananas and eggs sound so fattening?
Best protein powders for muscle gain? in Hobbies & Leisure ·
It’s honestly a losing battle at this point—the more I eat, the hungrier I seem to get.😁
Best protein powders for muscle gain? in Hobbies & Leisure ·
Roger Richardson61 said:Like velvetraven mentioned, you really don't need 80 grams of whey right after a workout. Honestly, even half that amount is plenty. Personally, I just toss a scoop and a half into my oats in the morning and then have another serving after my training sessions.
If you’re hitting those two shakes, you should still be aiming for another 150 grams of protein through food. But honestly, that shouldn't be a massive hurdle. You don't even need to be obsessively counting every single gram; just try to make sure every meal has a solid hit of protein paired with either carbs or fats. If you manage to eat five meals a day where you consistently combine at least two macronutrients, you'll easily clear that 200-gram protein mark daily.

And for the record, whey isn't some kind of poison. You're probably more likely to get sick from unwashed produce you picked up at a local Farmer's Market if you don't rinse it properly under hot water. 🙂

In theory, I shouldn't even be bothering with buying a mass gainer, right? Is whey enough based on what you're saying? The thing is, over the last six months, I've put on a solid 15 pounds—mostly strength, though I've picked up a little bit of fat around the midsection. My main concern is actually my chest area. I'm worried that this "overeating" phase, which you described so perfectly, might push me past the point of building lean muscle and into pure fat gain, even though I'm hitting the gym four times a week.🤷

So, here’s a look at my typical daily menu... my circadian rhythm is pretty shot, so sometimes I sleep right through breakfast and wake up around 11:00 AM when I really ought to be up by 9:00. I've been trying to get back on track lately.🙂

In the mornings, I usually go for something dairy-based, like cereal or maybe some Cocoa Puffs with a bit of added sugar. I typically drink about a quart of milk with it.
For my mid-morning snack before lunch, I'll grab a sandwich made with sourdough and Emmental cheese, or maybe some low-fat cottage cheese from Tillamook (which I tend to overeat, unfortunately).
I try to keep lunch relatively lean. Luckily, my folks shop for real meat—usually venison or beef, sometimes chicken or turkey—served with mashed potatoes. I don't strictly measure, but I eat quite a bit; last time, I estimate I had about 700 grams of meat for lunch along with 300 to 400 grams of rice.🤷
That's usually accompanied by a salad and stuff like that. After lunch comes another snack, which is mostly fruit—usually two bananas or some blueberries mixed with raspberries and a little sugar.
Then it's time for my workout, which lasts about an hour and a half.
Post-workout, I always eat two or three bananas, followed by eggs—averaging about eight eggs—and maybe some sour cream if I'm feeling it.😁

After that, I'm basically waiting until dinner, which is around 11:00 PM or midnight. At that point, it's back to dairy—milk with cereal or rice😁, plus the essential cottage cheese.
If I stay awake a bit longer, I'll snack on some fruit with more cottage cheese, and the cycle just repeats.🙂

How does my protein intake look to you? Does it even make sense for me to buy a mass gainer at all?
Can someone with this kind of diet actually expect significant muscle mass gains over time? I'm genuinely afraid that at this rate, I might just end up getting "bulked up" in the worst way rather than actually building muscle.😁

Thanks again.
Best protein powders for muscle gain? in Hobbies & Leisure ·
Thanks for such a thorough breakdown 🙂
So, what would you suggest I do instead?
My current plan is hitting some Optimum Nutrition with my oats in the morning (about 30 grams), then following up with an 80-gram serving of Whey right after my workout—though, obviously, that doesn't include my main meals and snacks, where I'm pulling in another 90 to 100 grams from actual food. Do you think there's any real point in picking up some casein on top of all that?
To give you a better idea of where I'm at, I'm standing about 6'4" and weighing in around 220 pounds (mostly well-distributed mass), so I'm wondering if this intake is enough to see some decent progress.

Also, I have to ask—is there any actual downside to consuming protein this directly? Even though it's Whey and technically derived from natural sources, I know there's a bit of processing involved, so does it cause any harm to the body?
Best protein powders for muscle gain? in Hobbies & Leisure ·
Hey there. I’ve been training pretty consistently for about six months now without touching any supplements, and while I can definitely see the progress in the mirror, the sheer volume of food I have to shove down my throat is becoming a massive headache. Honestly, it’s getting frustrating, so I’m looking into switching over to some pure concentrates to make things easier. Is it actually okay to drink whey protein three times a day? A buddy of mine keeps insisting they’re strictly for post-workout use, but I’m not sold on that logic. Also, what’s the real deal when comparing standard whey to those "mass gainer" products? Is there a fundamental difference, or is "mass gainer" just a fancy branding trick for the same stuff? Regarding my daily intake—if I’m aiming for roughly two grams of protein per kilo of body weight—how many grams of whey am I allowed to consume? Would it be alright to hit maybe 100–150 grams of whey spread across three servings (maybe taking half right after my workout and the other 50–100 grams integrated into my regular meals)? Oh, and one more thing: is it fine to mix it with milk, and does using whole milk instead of skim make much of a difference? Lastly, does anyone know if adding grape sugar to my whey is a good move? I heard it’s great for a quick carb hit after training to help with recovery.
Laser hair removal: cost breakdown? in Health ·
Honestly, looking at your situation, I’m pretty convinced we’re talking about steroids here—specifically testosterone—because that kind of unwanted hair growth is a classic side effect. There is just no way some protein powder could trigger something like that.🙂
As for what laser hair removal actually costs, it really depends on which city you’re living in and which clinic you go to. A good friend of mine went through the whole process; it definitely works, but man, it is not cheap. If I remember correctly, she ended up spending somewhere around $4,500 total, broken down into five sessions at about $900 each. She had them scheduled every few months, maybe even more frequently if my memory serves me right, and you absolutely have to stay out of the sun for at least a year while your skin recovers from the treatment.