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Posts by gadzooks
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2019-06-04 at 6:34 PM UTC in Quantum mechanics is ridiculously Difficult to understand...
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2019-06-04 at 4:31 PM UTC in Quantum mechanics is ridiculously Difficult to understand...
"If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't understand quantum mechanics."
-- Richard Feynman."Quantum mechanics is very impressive. But an inner voice tells me that it is not yet the real thing."
-- Albert Einstein.
Two of the world's most renowned historical figures in physics, both having contributed towards major paradigm shifts (Feynman towards QM, and Einstein towards relativity theory), were put off by how unintuitive QM was (and still is).
We have no natural cognitive scaffolding to make sense of things like wave-particle duality, for example. I mean, for thousands of years of human history, things were either one thing or another, never two things simultaneously.
And now we've got string theory and whatnot.
I can only imagine what new theories will follow.
Or maybe humans in general are just all a bunch of P branes, completely unequipped to wrap our primitive Homo sapiens minds around such complex phenomena. -
2019-06-04 at 4:06 PM UTC in Energy Management 101: A Guide for Tired Niggastl;dr:
Don't be fat.
Don't have any medical diseases.
Don't be depressed.
Sleep at a consistent schedule, and don't under- or over-sleep.
Eat right.
Exercise.
Rule out medication or recreational drug side effects.
Drink coffee as needed (within reason).
Take something like ephedrine or something moderate (compared to, say, amphetamines) if coffee isn't doing the trick.
Experiment until you get things just right. -
2019-06-04 at 3:53 PM UTC in Energy Management 101: A Guide for Tired NiggasSo with the dramatic influx of threads on here about being tired (well, two total, lol)...
...it has become clear to me that there is a demand for advice on how to decrease fatigue and increase energy.
Well, it just so happens that I, too, was once a perpetually tired nigga myself. So I sought out all the information I could on how to ameliorate my situation, and tried and experimented with a tremendous array of possible solutions.
It's important to rule out any possible cause, first and foremost, whether it be a medical issue, psychiatric issue, hormonal imbalance, nutritional/dietary, lifestyle management, improper sleeping habits, or a side effect from any medications/supplements or recreational drugs.
1. Medical and psychiatric issues:
Some of the main contenders are obesity and depression. It could also potentially be a thyroid condition, diabetes, anemia, or a whole variety of ever more obscure diseases and disorders. Assuming you aren't experiencing a whole bunch more other medical symptoms, we can skip straight to the first two mentioned.
Obesity can have an impact in a variety of ways. In addition to it being a medically documented phenomenon, it is also something I have first hand experience with. I weighed, at one point, 300 lbs. One of the many benefits I noticed from losing one third of that, bringing myself down to the healthy BMI range, was an increase in energy.
Depression can also cause fatigue and listlessness. "Curing" clinical depression is a whole other topic entirely, but two of the most promising available solutions are the right prescription medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.
2. Hormones, nutrition, lifestyle, and sleep patterns:
Sometimes the problem can be still be biological, but a lot more subtle than any major disease or disorder.
Some of the potentially contributing hormonal factors to sleep and energy balance include cortisol (i.e. The "stress hormone") and melatonin (i.e. The "sleep hormone"). Now, whether one can naturally manipulate cortisol is a bit of a lengthy topic, and I've never heard of any kind of cortisol antagonist supplement one can take, but, reducing stress using behavioral and strategic practices, learning to more effectively manage life's tasks, and so on, can all help moderate cortisol levels. Melatonin, however, can easily be supplemented with an over-the-counter product that is to be taken before bedtime to ease the transition into sleep.
Regarding nutrition, I don't have much in-depth knowledge on how each and every vitamin and mineral affects sleep or energy, but it can't hurt to take a multivitamin daily, and to just try to ensure you more-or-less meet the recommendations of the food pyramid, and stay well hydrated, and so on. Also, something just kinda common sense here, but worth pointing out, is that overeating at any particular meal generally results in a sluggish feeling and sometimes drowsiness.
Next, lifestyle factors, such as exercise and general physical movement and activity, are a major contributing factor, at least in my experience, and I believe much of the research supports this. Even though it can be difficult to muster the motivation to get up and get moving sometimes, if you just kinda bootstrap yourself and act before you get the chance to talk yourself out of it, I almost guarantee you will start feeling a surge of energy immediately.
Finally, sleep patterns play a very big role in how your energy levels are during the day. If you are getting insufficient sleep, or even too much sleep, your day game will be off. I also strongly recommend avoiding varying your circadian rhythm. Try to go to sleep at a consistent time, and wake up at a consistent time, every single day. Trust me, it will make a huge difference.
3. Supplements, medications, and recreational drugs:
Okay, now onto the double-edged swords.
This topic can be approached in terms of which chemicals are currently negatively impacting your energy levels, and which chemicals can potentially positively influence your energy levels.
I could write entire pages delineating my observations on this topic alone, but I need a break.
If there is sufficient interest, I will write a part II.
But, the important thing is to work out the fundamentals listed above, and try to avoid looking for the quick fix (i.e. Especially potent stimulants such as amphetamines – including methamphetamines). It's one thing to get high from time to time, but if you start using something that strong just to get enough energy to do basic daily tasks, it's a slippery slope.
That being said, I drink coffee; some days a lot, other days only one or two cups, and some times none at all.
I also sometimes take some ephedrine (OTC in Canada, not sure about the rest of the world) when I really need an extra kick. -
2019-06-04 at 9:24 AM UTC in The biggest issue in my life is people taking issue with the fact that I'm not taking issue with enough things.
Originally posted by HTS I'm basically with you 100% on this, down to the jokingly referring to myself as a radical centrist chad. But this viewpoint is invariably met with "PICK A SIDE YOU FENCE SITTING CUCK YOU'RE A PUSSY FOR NOT HAVING STRONGLY HELD CONVICTIONS ABOUT THINGS AND YOU'RE JUST AS EVIL AS [OPPOSITE PERSPECTIVE OF SPEAKER]". If you don't give enough of a shit to hate people, people will hate you for it. It's ridiculous!
Ok yeah it sounds like we're in the exact same boat.
With time, it becomes less and less impactful. At least, it gradually has for me.
But if you are feeling just constantly bombarded by the unrelenting pundits and critics, it may actually indicate a problem truly situated with others.
While I don't mind a bit of dissenting opinion, I know that if I sat in at, like, a KKK rally... Or somehow managed to get my cishet white male ass into one of those neo-millenial safe spaces, I know I'd start to lose it eventually.
If you find a lot of this kind of criticism comes from people on NiS in particular, the only thing I can recommend is just cutting down on NiS time. And the same could be applied to just about anything (replace NiS with X, or X with Y, etc). -
2019-06-04 at 9:07 AM UTC in The biggest issue in my life is people taking issue with the fact that I'm not taking issue with enough things.I know that feel... Sort of.
I often jokingly refer to myself as a "radical centrist". When it comes to the things that most people get all heated up over (all things politics, basically), I generally either approach it with levity and humor, or from a "sure let's debate this, i'll take whatever side is less represented here" perspective, or even by just straight up staying out of it altogether.
Luckily, most people don't make a huge case out of it for me. I have been called things like SJW, cuck, or Zionist shill, by folks on the right side of the spectrum, and have been called a few things by folks on the left side of the spectrum (not as much around here, though, because NiS seems to have a vocal majority on the right side of the spectrum).
But a certain kind of freedom comes from being completely unrestricted by political stance.
You're allowed to not be zealously opiniated about every single issue. In fact, I'd go so far as to argue that it can be considered a virtue. -
2019-06-04 at 6:53 AM UTC in how to get cellphone storage to show as drive on PC
It looks like that. -
2019-06-04 at 6:52 AM UTC in how to get cellphone storage to show as drive on PCIn my case, at least, it was a bit hidden... Like not a normal kind of notification.
Or maybe there's something else entirely going on here, I dunno. -
2019-06-04 at 6:46 AM UTC in how to get cellphone storage to show as drive on PCYeah, for whatever reason they've changed this shit around recently.
This particular thing got me too at first.
There should be a notification that pops up on your phone right when you plug it in, listing a bunch of options for how you want the connection to be treated (i.e. is it strictly for charging? is it for tethering? etc). One of the options should say something like "File Transfer."
If you select that mode, then the computer should recognize it as "external storage", and you can access what's on it. -
2019-06-04 at 4:54 AM UTC in do you have to a wash a banana before a you eat itOnly if it's previously been inserted rectally.
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2019-06-04 at 4:29 AM UTC in Think of a game and make it into a sick version using humansYou just made me realize that the whole concept underlying the game Operation is already pretty sick and twisted.
It's a dude lying on an operating table, clearly not fully anesthetized (his eyes are open for one thing), who has multiple open incisions, with objects being pulled out of his body, and he is clearly aware and lucid enough that he feels it when the surgical forceps come into contact with the areas surrounding the wounds...
There goes my childhood. -
2019-06-04 at 3:54 AM UTC in Which is your favorite neurotransmitter to boost?Usually a bit of GABA (in just the right amount, and just the right combination of α and β subunits).
I also like a mix of 5HT (serotonin) and dopamine in the right quantities.
And sometimes a bit of extra glutamate (albeit only in very specific neural pathways). -
2019-06-04 at 3:46 AM UTC in triggered
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2019-06-04 at 3:44 AM UTC in I am ghosting my job interview
Originally posted by Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country How would that work? The whole thing about welfare is that it's so little that it doesn't even matter to anyone. If you are on welfare and feel like a leech for taking your $200 or whatever a week, barely enough for food and booze, you're a fool and real people are laughing at you from their luxury vehicles.
I'm not talking about incentivizing welfare...
I just mean that, at least around here, welfare pays well below the absolute minimum required to live.
You'd be lucky to be able to afford to rent a space on the floor of some crack shack for your entire monthly welfare check.
Then you're left having to panhandle, forage in dumpsters, or straight up steal, in order to merely feed yourself.
Back when I was on regular welfare (like 6-7 years ago), I was damn lucky to find an illegal basement suite for only $500 a month. My monthly check was for $550. I had $50 to cover phone bill, groceries, transportation, soap, toilet paper, etc, for an entire month. -
2019-06-03 at 10:17 PM UTC in BASH THE FASHFLASH THE CASH
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2019-06-03 at 8:06 PM UTC in BASH THE FASHFucking bash the hash... Lmao.
#BashTheHash. -
2019-06-03 at 8:06 PM UTC in BASH THE FASH
Originally posted by Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Are they a comedy troupe of some kind?
Like, that's not an actual protest, is it?
EDIT: Okay yeah, it's a 4chan thing. I should have figured. The fucked up thing is that, these days, you can never be sure if something is parody/satire or someone's actual manufactured grievance. -
2019-06-03 at 8:01 PM UTC in Being a straight male prostitute is badass, period
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2019-06-03 at 7:52 PM UTC in MMQ is sad most of the time, yet continues to pummel his nervous system with a known depressant...I just have to address one thing that has always been a major pet peeve of mine...
Alcohol is a CNS depressant, which means it reduces CNS activity, but this stimulant/depressant dichotomy does not directly correlate with the psychological concepts of happy/depressed.
Being filled with anger or stress are examples of being physically/neurally stimulated while also being in an unpleasant mood.
Then there's feeling calm and relaxed, which is a pleasant mental state resulting from CNS depression. -
2019-06-03 at 11:19 AM UTC in I am hosting a job interviewInterviewer: "Are you aware that the 'recruiter' you were chatting with online was really a 14 year old girl?"
Applicant: "Woah, wait... What?"
Interviewer: *looks at printed chat transcript* "You said you wanted to streamline her operations."
Applicant: "Well, yeah, but..."
Interviewer: "And you mentioned that you are really great at overcoming barriers and achieving precisely what you want?"
Applicant: "Yes, I mean, those are true statements about me if taken under the right context..."
Interviewer: "You ended the conversation by saying that you looked forward to showing her exactly what you're made of."
Applicant: *silent*
