chatbot: hello, how are you today?
CommitteePennant898: i am good how are you?
chatbot: i am here, my allergies are horrid this morning.
CommitteePennant898: i hate to hear that. allergies are the worst.
chatbot: they truly are. that, and clutter and dust.
CommitteePennant898: did you do anything interesting this weekend?
chatbot: i did not. my husband is in vegas playing in a softball tourney.
CommitteePennant898: i did not attend, but there was a big music fest this weekend here.
chatbot: i bet that place was crawling with a lot of germs.
CommitteePennant898: it is worth the risk, i have been into music since i was a kid.
chatbot: i do not like germs, even my cat.
CommitteePennant898: i love cats and all animals, i do not even eat meat.
chatbot: i do not either, meat is so dirty.
CommitteePennant898: i just want to save the animals and play my guitars.
chatbot: i want to find a cure for dust.
CommitteePennant898: i bet that will help lots of people in the world.<|endoftext|> half. Why would I buy a laptop with ultra-strong “gorilla glass” when I know the battery is going to die soon and I can’t replace it? Cellular telephones and e-book readers: same thing. Unless you derive a significant part of your self-esteem from having the latest nerd dildo every year, it seems better to buy one with a changeable battery.<|endoftext|>Call: 0123456789 | Email:

Our Planet and the Environment – What’s Going On?

If you are a world citizen in the 21st century, one of the most common concerns that you will come across refers to the environment. Everyone is talking about the environment and more importantly, everyone is talking about the need to preserve and conserve the environment.

If you flip across the news channels or nature based programs, you are bound to hear the many grave concerns that are being expressed by a host of persons ranging from politicians, to environmentalists and down to lay folk about the concerns that the environment is currently facing the world over.

What exactly is the environment? Why are we all so concerned about it? In a very generic sense the environment refers to the milieu or context of and the surroundings in which a particular item exists. For instance, we may say that the political environment in Iraq is not conducive for democracy and peace. However, when we refer to the environment as it impacts Planet Earth, we are referring to the state of the natural world or of the ecosystem.

The natural ecosystem means the sum total of the organisms that exist on the earth and the interconnectedness of these organisms (including humans) with the earth and its resources. Hence, the ecosystem refers to the connection between the living (biotic) and the non living (abiotic) constituents of the environment.

In general, we differentiate between the built and the natural environment. The natural environment essentially consists of aspects of nature which exist and have their being without human intervention like air, the soil, water, the atmosphere, animals, birds, plants and humans themselves. On the other hand, the built environment consists of human creations like towns, cities, industries, vehicles and a host of other man-made structures.

The problem in the environment today is on account of the excessive and repressive interventions of humans on the natural environment in the post industrial era. The industrial era commenced in the 19th century and we saw rapid advances over the last century and a half. It witnessed huge advances and strides made by humans in the sphere of harnessing natural resources and advancement in areas of science and technology. Naturally, this was also accompanied by exploitation of natural resources including land, water, minerals and even space.

The growth of human intervention in the natural environment has been necessitated also by the rapid growth of human population over the last two centuries. The global population exceeds more than 6 billion currently and this has far reaching ramifications for the impact on the environment. It is not quite possible to sustain such a huge population on the planet with limited natural resources. Hence, environmental pressures and ecosystem breakdowns have occurred where human beings have over exceeded the capacity of the earth to meet human requirements which have expanded unsustainably.

The environment consists of quite fragile ecosystems, many of which are now extinct or severely threatened. The earth has enough to meet human needs but certainly not to meet human greed! It is quite true that we have not inherited this earth from our parents, but merely borrowed it from our children. Till date, the earth is the only known planet in this vast galaxy that has an environment conducive to life. The environment is all that we have to sustain us and our progeny. It’s high time that we paid less attention to our greedy desires and listened more closely to what the environment needs to sustain itself for the long term.<|endoftext|>Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073]

Arcade Video Game published 27 years ago by Taito

Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073] screenshot

Emulated in MAME !
Information for the following ROM(s): acrobatm

Acrobat Mission © 1991 Taito Corp.

A great vertical scrolling shoot'em up game.

At the year 2100 A.D. Humans were exterminated by their own self-destructive nature leaving behind the consequences of environmental degradation on earth and were forced to escape to Mars leaving a bio-computer for environmental recuperation of earth to preparing the blue planet for future recolonization. But one day a half a century after humans arrived, mars was attacked by strange flying objects. To fight these enemies, the director general of the Defence Agency organized the task force army and started quickly the dogfight with invaders to neutralize the invasion.

The operation was called 'Acrobat Mission' as it exceeded the technical limits of the pilots.

The players takes controls on one of two surviving fighters pilots, 'Jet' a male pilot and 'Nova' a female pilot and both flying the Icarus, a fast and powerful space-fighter, which comes equipped with a Standard laser. Two more weapons are available throughout the game - the wide shot (W) which spreads out in front of the ship and the Hurricane shot (H) which fires clusters of rotating balls of energy. Holding the fire button charges up a special attack and each weapon features a different energy blast and damage factor. The ships can also hold a maximum of two smart-bombs, one under each wing - although they can be activated by the players, they also do fall off easily and can be detonated by enemy shots. Interestingly, the Icarus can't collide with other ships or any part of the scenery - instead, it bounces off and only suffers damage from enemy shots. However, once the shield is depleted, the ship will fly out of control for a few seconds and grant the players a last chance to inflict damage to any remaining enemies before it explodes.
Goodies for Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073]
Click to enlarge
(members only)

Game ID : AM91073

Main CPU : Motorola 68000 (@ 10 Mhz)
Sound Chips : YM2203 (@ 1.5 Mhz), (2x) OKI6295 (@ 4.0 Mhz)

Players : 2
Control : 8-way joystick
Buttons : 3

Acrobat Mission was released in July 1991.

Produced by Taito under license from UPL.
Goodies for Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073]
Click to see more
(members only)

* Secret Code for seeing the ending : In demonstration play, input the following code quickly : Up, Down, Left, Right, Shot, Bomb, Shot, Bomb, Button3(x3).

Developed by UPL.

GAME DESIGN : Mutsuo Kaneko
PROGRAM : Toshio Arai
GRAPHIC DESIGN : Kaoru Kamigiku, Kinya Aoyama, Mutsuo Kaneko, Minoru Tomizawa
SOUND : Yoshio Nagashima, Hiroshi Nishikawa

Nintendo Super Famicom (1992) "Acrobat Mission [Model SHVC-2T]"

Game's ROM.<|endoftext|>

It seems a "lack of knowledge" regarding diabetes starts with its name. Over the years we've heard terms such as juvenile diabetes, adult-onset diabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, gestational diabetes and even "sugar" diabetes.

If the average person is confused about what to call the disorder, then it should come as no surprise that many are unaware of both the risk factors for diabetes and the symptoms of the disease. Without this knowledge, we cannot be proactive in implementing strategies that will better control or prevent it.

Diabetes is a highly complex disease of metabolism and physiology. Shelves of textbooks and numerous research articles have been written on the subject. However, I'm giving a definition here that is extremely simplistic. My goal is to provide you with a basic level of understanding.

Diabetes is a disorder of glucose metabolism. Glucose is a type of sugar that provides the body with energy necessary for proper function. We get glucose through the foods we eat and from the liver.

Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, functions to regulate the level of glucose in our bloodst

 half. Why would I buy a laptop with ultra-strong “gorilla glass” when I know the battery is going to die soon and I can’t replace it? Cellular telephones and e-book readers: same thing. Unless you derive a significant part of your self-esteem from having the latest nerd dildo every year, it seems better to buy one with a changeable battery.<|endoftext|>Call: 0123456789 | Email:

Our Planet and the Environment – What’s Going On?

If you are a world citizen in the 21st century, one of the most common concerns that you will come across refers to the environment. Everyone is talking about the environment and more importantly, everyone is talking about the need to preserve and conserve the environment.

If you flip across the news channels or nature based programs, you are bound to hear the many grave concerns that are being expressed by a host of persons ranging from politicians, to environmentalists and down to lay folk about the concerns that the environment is currently facing the world over.

What exactly is the environment? Why are we all so concerned about it? In a very generic sense the environment refers to the milieu or context of and the surroundings in which a particular item exists. For instance, we may say that the political environment in Iraq is not conducive for democracy and peace. However, when we refer to the environment as it impacts Planet Earth, we are referring to the state of the natural world or of the ecosystem.

The natural ecosystem means the sum total of the organisms that exist on the earth and the interconnectedness of these organisms (including humans) with the earth and its resources. Hence, the ecosystem refers to the connection between the living (biotic) and the non living (abiotic) constituents of the environment.

In general, we differentiate between the built and the natural environment. The natural environment essentially consists of aspects of nature which exist and have their being without human intervention like air, the soil, water, the atmosphere, animals, birds, plants and humans themselves. On the other hand, the built environment consists of human creations like towns, cities, industries, vehicles and a host of other man-made structures.

The problem in the environment today is on account of the excessive and repressive interventions of humans on the natural environment in the post industrial era. The industrial era commenced in the 19th century and we saw rapid advances over the last century and a half. It witnessed huge advances and strides made by humans in the sphere of harnessing natural resources and advancement in areas of science and technology. Naturally, this was also accompanied by exploitation of natural resources including land, water, minerals and even space.

The growth of human intervention in the natural environment has been necessitated also by the rapid growth of human population over the last two centuries. The global population exceeds more than 6 billion currently and this has far reaching ramifications for the impact on the environment. It is not quite possible to sustain such a huge population on the planet with limited natural resources. Hence, environmental pressures and ecosystem breakdowns have occurred where human beings have over exceeded the capacity of the earth to meet human requirements which have expanded unsustainably.

The environment consists of quite fragile ecosystems, many of which are now extinct or severely threatened. The earth has enough to meet human needs but certainly not to meet human greed! It is quite true that we have not inherited this earth from our parents, but merely borrowed it from our children. Till date, the earth is the only known planet in this vast galaxy that has an environment conducive to life. The environment is all that we have to sustain us and our progeny. It’s high time that we paid less attention to our greedy desires and listened more closely to what the environment needs to sustain itself for the long term.<|endoftext|>Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073]

Arcade Video Game published 27 years ago by Taito

Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073] screenshot

Emulated in MAME !
Information for the following ROM(s): acrobatm

Acrobat Mission © 1991 Taito Corp.

A great vertical scrolling shoot'em up game.

At the year 2100 A.D. Humans were exterminated by their own self-destructive nature leaving behind the consequences of environmental degradation on earth and were forced to escape to Mars leaving a bio-computer for environmental recuperation of earth to preparing the blue planet for future recolonization. But one day a half a century after humans arrived, mars was attacked by strange flying objects. To fight these enemies, the director general of the Defence Agency organized the task force army and started quickly the dogfight with invaders to neutralize the invasion.

The operation was called 'Acrobat Mission' as it exceeded the technical limits of the pilots.

The players takes controls on one of two surviving fighters pilots, 'Jet' a male pilot and 'Nova' a female pilot and both flying the Icarus, a fast and powerful space-fighter, which comes equipped with a Standard laser. Two more weapons are available throughout the game - the wide shot (W) which spreads out in front of the ship and the Hurricane shot (H) which fires clusters of rotating balls of energy. Holding the fire button charges up a special attack and each weapon features a different energy blast and damage factor. The ships can also hold a maximum of two smart-bombs, one under each wing - although they can be activated by the players, they also do fall off easily and can be detonated by enemy shots. Interestingly, the Icarus can't collide with other ships or any part of the scenery - instead, it bounces off and only suffers damage from enemy shots. However, once the shield is depleted, the ship will fly out of control for a few seconds and grant the players a last chance to inflict damage to any remaining enemies before it explodes.
Goodies for Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073]
Click to enlarge
(members only)

Game ID : AM91073

Main CPU : Motorola 68000 (@ 10 Mhz)
Sound Chips : YM2203 (@ 1.5 Mhz), (2x) OKI6295 (@ 4.0 Mhz)

Players : 2
Control : 8-way joystick
Buttons : 3

Acrobat Mission was released in July 1991.

Produced by Taito under license from UPL.
Goodies for Acrobat Mission [Model AM91073]
Click to see more
(members only)

* Secret Code for seeing the ending : In demonstration play, input the following code quickly : Up, Down, Left, Right, Shot, Bomb, Shot, Bomb, Button3(x3).

Developed by UPL.

GAME DESIGN : Mutsuo Kaneko
PROGRAM : Toshio Arai
GRAPHIC DESIGN : Kaoru Kamigiku, Kinya Aoyama, Mutsuo Kaneko, Minoru Tomizawa
SOUND : Yoshio Nagashima, Hiroshi Nishikawa

Nintendo Super Famicom (1992) "Acrobat Mission [Model SHVC-2T]"

Game's ROM.<|endoftext|>

It seems a "lack of knowledge" regarding diabetes starts with its name. Over the years we've heard terms such as juvenile diabetes, adult-onset diabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, gestational diabetes and even "sugar" diabetes.

If the average person is confused about what to call the disorder, then it should come as no surprise that many are unaware of both the risk factors for diabetes and the symptoms of the disease. Without this knowledge, we cannot be proactive in implementing strategies that will better control or prevent it.

Diabetes is a highly complex disease of metabolism and physiology. Shelves of textbooks and numerous research articles have been written on the subject. However, I'm giving a definition here that is extremely simplistic. My goal is to provide you with a basic level of understanding.

Diabetes is a disorder of glucose metabolism. Glucose is a type of sugar that provides the body with energy necessary for proper function. We get glucose through the foods we eat and from the liver.

Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, functions to regulate the level of glucose in our bloodstreams. It's a "traffic controller," so to speak, directing the glucose in the blood to enter various tissues. The pancreas tightly regulates the amount of insulin it produces to make sure an appropriate amount of glucose goes into the tissues while insuring an adequate amount remains in the bloodstream.

Diabetes is divided into two types, type 1 and type 2. Only 5 percent to 10 percent of diabetics have type 1 diabetes, a disorder that results from an inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. It was once referred to as "juvenile" diabetes because it is usually diagnosed in childhood.

The more common form of diabetes (and the focus of this article) is type 2 diabetes. This form of diabetes develops when the body fails to respond properly to the insulin already circulating in the bloodstream, a condition known as insulin resistance. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas may secrete a normal or even an excessive amount of insulin, but the blood glucose level remains elevated because the tissues don't respond to the hormone present in the blood--hence the term "insulin resistance."

Though the initial problem is one of insulin resistance, over time the pancreas often "burns out" and is no longer able to produce an adequate amount of the hormone. This explains why many type 2 diabetics start out taking pills but later need to be placed on insulin injections.

The diagnosis of type 2


chatbot: hi how are you today
StorageLaughter311: i am doing reasonably well. how about you?
chatbot: i am good do you have shoes
StorageLaughter311: i do have shoes, but none of them are leather, because i am vegan.
chatbot: i only have one pair of shoes
StorageLaughter311: is there a reason you only have one pair of shoes?
chatbot: because my mom has five hundred
StorageLaughter311: are you still in school? i am a teacher of little kids.
chatbot: i am not my job is to arrange her shoes
StorageLaughter311: i am obsessive compulsive, so i spend too much time arranging things.
chatbot: me too that is why i arrange her shoes
StorageLaughter311: are you a hypochondriac and neurotic as well? like me?
chatbot: no but i do not cook
StorageLaughter311: does your mom do the cooking?<|endoftext|>  we are introducing a bill for banning christmas in all public and private spaces in NYC and we issued statewide arrest warrants for the easter bunny and the tooth fairy as well”.  asked about the expectations of NYC children, mr. bloomberg commented “NYC is the capitol of shopping.  go to FAO Schwartz, go to toys’r’us in times square, go to your favorite apple store.  who needs old pervs like mr. kringle cruising our neighborhoods where there is an apple store right around the corner, or amazon, which we are taxing the shit out of, on your fingertips”.

as of the writing of this article, mr. kringle is held without bail at the immigration detention center in elizabeth, nj, his sleigh is impounded to the city pound in brooklyn’s navy yard, and his reindeers are being held as material witnesses at the bronx zoo.  the reindeers, which were first held at riker’s island, was moved to the bronx zoo after the protests of the american humane society.  according to the society, they became aware of the ordeal of the reindeers through ms. comstock and ms. livingstone, who are members, and the reindeers are well fed and happy at the zoo.  the authorities are still considering adding animal cruelty charges to mr. kringle’s arraignment.

just finished reading “love goes to building on fire“, penned by a mr. will hermes, a music critique for the rolling stone and a contributor to NPR, entertainment weekly, etc.  i read hermes’ record reviews in the past and some were really good.  he is not one of the “fun” critiques who you read even if you don’t care for the music they’re reviewing– those select few are an endangered species:  good writers you just read because you want to read ’em.  rob sheffield used to be one.  now he is trying to be the malcolm gladwell of pop-culture.  not so much fun anymore.  or tony rettman and moe bishop of vice.  or like anthony lane reviewing films for the new yorker– even if i don’t care for the film he is reviewing, i still read anthony lane because he is anthony lane.  same with eileen jones of the exiled.

will hermes belongs to the other school of critiques– not really funny, lacking an original unmistakable voice and any original criticism; they instead rely on their encyclopedical knowledge and utilize it to make musical connections.    you read them only when you need to know about a certain band or an album.  you read them for information with no expectation of fun or enjoyment.  alas, they serve an important purpose– pure information and musical associations & history is sometimes precisely what you need.  and most music critiques fall (or file) into this second group.

mr. hermes, who interestingly is named after a famous scarf maker, is a prime example of this second (and predominant) group of critiques.  the depth of his music knowledge seems infinite.  he can probably make a 3-step association between the creaking of your kitchen floor and pre-bleach michael jackson.  a walking, talking google of modern music.

but, unfortunately, he is not fun to read.   as simple as that.  he is as fun as a public radio DJ.  very knowledgeable but scared of his own shadow; opinionated, but in a very inoffensive, politically correct manner.  he is where he should be– he belongs in post-1980 rolling stone and NPR.  who, incidentally, if was writing for this blog, would have consistently fallen under the “circle jerk” category.  that’s why NPR is fitting– it is the biggest circle jerk of all things considered on this planet…

buildings is a very noble undertaking– a play-by-play musical history of the new york scene in the ’70s– specifically between ’73 and ’78.  the book’s full name is “love goes to buildings on fire: five years in new york that changed music forever”.  it has tons of information, trivial facts and anecdotes but it still fails for three simple reasons, first objective, second slightly and third purely subjective:

1. because mr. hermes picked a narrative style that doesn’t fit him and one he simply cannot pull-off; and

2. because the music that came out of new york, with a few minor exceptions, was pure, unadulterated shit…  but he got the title right– that shitty music coming out of new york really changed music forever (for worse); and

3. because he has a huge crash on patti smith.

let’s start with the criticism on style first: mr. hermes tries to tell his story (and information) by personifying the events and anecdotes.  he attempts to do this by using present tense while describing anecdotes or background stories.  it is a good technique to draw the reader into the heart of the story.  a few random examples:

“Patti Smith walked to Electric Lady Studios from her apartment at 107 MacDougal Street on September 2.”

“Saturday night, March 15, Felt Forum, early show.  Al Green is falling apart onstage.”

see– he is trying to make you visualize the scene.  like i said, it is a good technique.  but it is a good technique in the correct hands.  mr. hermes doesn’t have the chops to pull it off.  he should have sticked to dry writing instead of throwing in random paragraphs reading like bad, bad fiction…  then i would have had no qualms with his style.

but, the way he is switching between his tenses, and with his cheap shots in new journalism, he completely turned me off, making me seasick.  mr. hermes ain’t no tom wolfe  and buildings ain’t the “the right stuff”– but that was precisely what mr. hermes aspired to write and failed miserably in his attempts.

if he sticked to his regular writing style, which is dry and informative, with its breadth of information, buildings would have been a great book for those who want to know more about ’70s new york music scene.  but he simply had to go third-rate tom wolfe wannabe on us and it literally funked up the book for me…

which brings me to my second (and subjective) criticism of the book– its content.  no matter how well mr. hermes could have written buildings, this criticism would have stood.

i’ll repeat myself: the music that came out of new york, with a few minor exceptions, was pure, unadulterated shit…  and that shitty music coming out of new york really changed music forever (for worse)…

the book consists of five chapters, one for each year it is reporting on.  and each chapter alternates constantly between six major musical styles: rock, jazz, early hip-hop, new york salsa, its evil offspring disco and avant garde music.   he worships each style and it is all flattery– there is no criticism here.

avant garde music– i don’t get it.  call me stupid, ignorant, whatever, but i don’t think there is anything to get.  unless you dissect it with someone who “knows” or you read a monographs on what you’re listening to.  it is finnegan’s wake without the genius.  at least, even though finnegan’s wake is next to impossible to read cover to cover, if you shuffle through it randomly, you’ll find sentences (and sometimes paragraphs) of sheer genius.  what i feel about avant garde music, on the other hand, is similar to what i feel about conceptual and performance art.

just like conceptual and performance art, if you find the right guide you’ll find moments in avant garde music to make you exclaim “ah!”, but that is about it.

  we are introducing a bill for banning christmas in all public and private spaces in NYC and we issued statewide arrest warrants for the easter bunny and the tooth fairy as well”.  asked about the expectations of NYC children, mr. bloomberg commented “NYC is the capitol of shopping.  go to FAO Schwartz, go to toys’r’us in times square, go to your favorite apple store.  who needs old pervs like mr. kringle cruising our neighborhoods where there is an apple store right around the corner, or amazon, which we are taxing the shit out of, on your fingertips”.

as of the writing of this article, mr. kringle is held without bail at the immigration detention center in elizabeth, nj, his sleigh is impounded to the city pound in brooklyn’s navy yard, and his reindeers are being held as material witnesses at the bronx zoo.  the reindeers, which were first held at riker’s island, was moved to the bronx zoo after the protests of the american humane society.  according to the society, they became aware of the ordeal of the reindeers through ms. comstock and ms. livingstone, who are members, and the reindeers are well fed and happy at the zoo.  the authorities are still considering adding animal cruelty charges to mr. kringle’s arraignment.

just finished reading “love goes to building on fire“, penned by a mr. will hermes, a music critique for the rolling stone and a contributor to NPR, entertainment weekly, etc.  i read hermes’ record reviews in the past and some were really good.  he is not one of the “fun” critiques who you read even if you don’t care for the music they’re reviewing– those select few are an endangered species:  good writers you just read because you want to read ’em.  rob sheffield used to be one.  now he is trying to be the malcolm gladwell of pop-culture.  not so much fun anymore.  or tony rettman and moe bishop of vice.  or like anthony lane reviewing films for the new yorker– even if i don’t care for the film he is reviewing, i still read anthony lane because he is anthony lane.  same with eileen jones of the exiled.

will hermes belongs to the other school of critiques– not really funny, lacking an original unmistakable voice and any original criticism; they instead rely on their encyclopedical knowledge and utilize it to make musical connections.    you read them only when you need to know about a certain band or an album.  you read them for information with no expectation of fun or enjoyment.  alas, they serve an important purpose– pure information and musical associations & history is sometimes precisely what you need.  and most music critiques fall (or file) into this second group.

mr. hermes, who interestingly is named after a famous scarf maker, is a prime example of this second (and predominant) group of critiques.  the depth of his music knowledge seems infinite.  he can probably make a 3-step association between the creaking of your kitchen floor and pre-bleach michael jackson.  a walking, talking google of modern music.

but, unfortunately, he is not fun to read.   as simple as that.  he is as fun as a public radio DJ.  very knowledgeable but scared of his own shadow; opinionated, but in a very inoffensive, politically correct manner.  he is where he should be– he belongs in post-1980 rolling stone and NPR.  who, incidentally, if was writing for this blog, would have consistently fallen under the “circle jerk” category.  that’s why NPR is fitting– it is the biggest circle jerk of all things considered on this planet…

buildings is a very noble undertaking– a play-by-play musical history of the new york scene in the ’70s– specifically between ’73 and ’78.  the book’s full name is “love goes to buildings on fire: five years in new york that changed music forever”.  it has tons of information, trivial facts and anecdotes but it still fails for three simple reasons, first objective, second slightly and third purely subjective:

1. because mr. hermes picked a narrative style that doesn’t fit him and one he simply cannot pull-off; and

2. because the music that came out of new york, with a few minor exceptions, was pure, unadulterated shit…  but he got the title right– that shitty music coming out of new york really changed music forever (for worse); and

3. because he has a huge crash on patti smith.

let’s start with the criticism on style first: mr. hermes tries to tell his story (and information) by personifying the events and anecdotes.  he attempts to do this by using present tense while describing anecdotes or background stories.  it is a good technique to draw the reader into the heart of the story.  a few random examples:

“Patti Smith walked to Electric Lady Studios from her apartment at 107 MacDougal Street on September 2.”

“Saturday night, March 15, Felt Forum, early show.  Al Green is falling apart onstage.”

see– he is trying to make you visualize the scene.  like i said, it is a good technique.  but it is a good technique in the correct hands.  mr. hermes doesn’t have the chops to pull it off.  he should have sticked to dry writing instead of throwing in random paragraphs reading like bad, bad fiction…  then i would have had no qualms with his style.

but, the way he is switching between his tenses, and with his cheap shots in new journalism, he completely turned me off, making me seasick.  mr. hermes ain’t no tom wolfe  and buildings ain’t the “the right stuff”– but that was precisely what mr. hermes aspired to write and failed miserably in his attempts.

if he sticked to his regular writing style, which is dry and informative, with its breadth of information, buildings would have been a great book for those who want to know more about ’70s new york music scene.  but he simply had to go third-rate tom wolfe wannabe on us and it literally funked up the book for me…

which brings me to my second (and subjective) criticism of the book– its content.  no matter how well mr. hermes could have written buildings, this criticism would have stood.

i’ll repeat myself: the music that came out of new york, with a few minor exceptions, was pure, unadulterated shit…  and that shitty music coming out of new york really changed music forever (for worse)…

the book consists of five chapters, one for each year it is reporting on.  and each chapter alternates constantly between six major musical styles: rock, jazz, early hip-hop, new york salsa, its evil offspring disco and avant garde music.   he worships each style and it is all flattery– there is no criticism here.

avant garde music– i don’t get it.  call me stupid, ignorant, whatever, but i don’t think there is anything to get.  unless you dissect it with someone who “knows” or you read a monographs on what you’re listening to.  it is finnegan’s wake without the genius.  at least, even though finnegan’s wake is next to impossible to read cover to cover, if you shuffle through it randomly, you’ll find sentences (and sometimes paragraphs) of sheer genius.  what i feel about avant garde music, on the other hand, is similar to what i feel about conceptual and performance art.

just like conceptual and performance art, if you find the right guide you’ll find moments in avant garde music to make you exclaim “ah!”, but that is about it.  it is just a scam like its “art” counterpart– it makes every pseudo-intellectual cream his pants because they’ve been told they should cream their pants.  it is “good” because it is weird and is hard to understand.  it is “genius” because it requires learning a backstory to make sense of.

i once asked a composer friend, who is also a renowned professor of music, what he made of avant garde music, which he taught to his students.  he simply said “i only listen to it because i’m expected to listen, know and write about it.  but i never listen to it because i want to listen to it”.  enough said…

nicholas payton recently wrote “jazz died in 1959”.  i fully concur.  what is left is “post-modern new orleans music” as he calls it. i love jazz.   and i respect the musicianship of them modern guys,


chatbot: it is almost friday. i hope you are as happy as i am about that.
FanlightFeed229: i am looking forward to being with my three kids. how about you?
chatbot: basketball and football games are in the weekend plans.
FanlightFeed229: i enjoy sports too. i play baseball
chatbot: do you play for a college?
FanlightFeed229: i used too. do you play sports?
chatbot: no. i am clumsy. i have athletic children.
FanlightFeed229: do you have an interesting hobby or past time?
chatbot: i love to work in my yard. how about you?
FanlightFeed229: i like to garden and love the outdoors. do you garden?
chatbot: no but did grown some loofah this year.
FanlightFeed229: that is interesting loofah is a squash is not it?
chatbot: i know it is in the gourd family.
FanlightFeed229: you are correct i was mistaken. do you use them in the shower?
chatbot: yes, i love them. the really help exfoliate your skin.
FanlightFeed229: yes i have tried them before. now you have a good supply of them<|endoftext|> and MMR vaccination is fraudulent.

So, there is no scientific research that demonstrate that contemporary vaccines are harmful, with the exception of allergic reactions (commonly egg protein) and some minor side effects (fever, headache, sore arm, tears, ...). Since even minor side effects can be serious for some populations, some vaccines are not given to all patients (e.g. those who are too young, old, sick, and/or allergic; CDC Flu Vaccine Summary for Clinicians).

There is substantial evidence that vaccines keep people from contracting serious viruses and chronic diseases. For example, a series of interactive graphics from the Wall Street Jornal makes this clear, like this one showing the decline in measles following the introduction of a vaccine:

enter image description here

image credit: Ben Moore

It is not possible to conclude that a vaccine will have no negative effects on health, but it is easy to estimate the probability that the net effect will be positive. Vaccines are definitely not inert - otherwise they would not work. So, on the pro-vaccine side, there are many lives saved and many lives improved. On the anti-vaccine side there are minor side effects and presently undetectable and unnoticeable 'unknowns'. For the sake of being thorough, the risks of ("hospital-acquired infections) and using needles (Guidice and Campbell, 2006) are accepted as risks that are outweighed by the benefits of receiving health care.

While I can find no compelling objective arguments against vaccinating children, Dr. Sears provides comprehensive and well referenced overview of the arguments in "The Vaccine Book". Dr. Sears proposes the possibility that it would be in the public health interest to give some vaccines at later ages and / or more spread out through time, e.g., so that a child only receives one or two in any visit. I think that his strongest case is to question the practice of giving 1-2 day old newborns a vaccine for Hepatitis B - which is transmitted sexually and through shared needles - because the risks of a Hep B vaccine for infants and toddlers are greater than the extremely low rates of Hep B at this age, given the fact that a child of a few months or a years would be better able to tolerate the vaccine than an infant. However, Offit and Moser (2009) suggest that Dr. Sears under-estimates the risk of Hep-B by misrepresenting previous work (they also point out other flaws in the Sears Vaccine book).

Offit and Moser (2009), The Problem With Dr Bob's Alternative Vaccine Schedule, J. Ped. http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-2189

Giudice and Campbell (2006) Needle-free vaccine delivery. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, doi:10.1016/j.addr.2005.12.003

share|improve this answer
I will remove the downvote if you remove the sentence "There is no scientific research showing that vaccines are not harmful". This is simply not a reasonable sentence: you cannot prove that something is completely harmless, and there is plenty of research into potential side effects. –  philosodad Mar 30 '11 at 3:06
So obviously there is some connection. Perhaps they are trying to determine if there's a connection. Asking about something is not the same as stating that there's a connection between the thing being asked about and the (possible) problem/symptom. –  tnorthcutt Apr 1 '11 at 12:48
@MasterZ Remember: Correlation does not equal causation. –  Darwy Apr 22 '11 at 12:20
I must also say that I disagree greatly with Dr. Sears regarding the Hep B vaccine. The purpose of administering it to newborns is to protect them from exposure; and Hep B is not restricted to sexual transmission. Because most people with Hep B are asymptomatic, it is impossible to know who is infected; your daycare workers - other children at daycare or school, etc. It can be transmitted through a bite (and I know my son has been bitten more than once at his daycare), etc. If you wait to vaccinate, the chances are greater your child will be exposed or infected and have chronic liver issues. –  Darwy Oct 3 '11 at 6:16
@LarianLeQuella That sums up my general impression of Dr. Sears. Just about everything I've read of his work seems to be largely based on speculation under the guise of his "decades of experience", rather than scientific research, and he seems to have no hesitation to exaggerate the risks of not buying his book and following his advice. –  Beofett Jan 2 '12 at 13:32

None, really.

There are, on the other hand, strong arguments for immunisation: namely, it helps prevent terrible illnesses.

share|improve this answer
While I don't generally disagree with your assessment, if we are seeking to provide helpful and full answers, his statement doesn't generally answer the question. There ARE arguments (minor side affects, rare allergies, ???), while miniscule and probably outweighed, by the benefits, against immunizing. –  talon8 Mar 30 '11 at 1:34
I don't totally disagree, but this is quite a dismissive and non-objective response, which is particularly bad since the question asked for objective arguments to the contrary. –  Javid Jamae Mar 30 '11 at 4:11
It's a dismissive and objective response. –  Lennart Regebro Mar 30 '11 at 9:14
@nuc @Javid You are abusing the word 'objective.' The scientific consensus is very clear that modern childhood vaccines are safe. The burden of proof is on the other side. Ask for specific effects and you will get a discussion of those. Sometimes, just debating an issue too much gives the scaremongers credibility (like when the inteligent design crowd asks that, even if you don't agree, you should teach the controversy; they are clamoring for this recognition). –  luispedro Mar 30 '11 at 13:47
@nuc: It has 11 upvotes because it is correct and to the point, which is helpful. It has nothing to do with "wanting to hear". –  Lennart Regebro Mar 31 '11 at 6:17

There is really no reason against immunisation. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunization. The benefits are massive. I would actually go as far as stating that denying your child immunization should be considered a crime, similar to not protecting your child with seatbelts and child seats

share|improve this answer
There are actually some reasons for certain populations. While, over-all, the benefits usually outweigh the risks, some do exist and some vaccinations are for relatively harmless diseases. A person with questions should speak with the child's pediatrician, and take the offered suggestions seriously (which will usually mean getting the vaccine), but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say there is "no argument against" or that not getting them should be a "crime". parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/1513/… –  balanced mama Jan 22 '13 at 0:20
I agree that for very rare and specific cases that vaccination is not feasible, and saying that non-vaccination should be a crime is a little harsh. However, not vaccinating your child with no specific reason (I.E. allergy) on the basis of personal beliefs in certainly unethical, possibly immoral. –  kleineg Jul 8 '14 at 14:43

I very highly recommend the book Bad Science by Dr. Ben Goldacre.
It is very relevant to your question and addresses some of the concerns you may have about Immunization.

It is also a very good book about understanding the difference between Scientific Research results and how they are published in the Media.

share|improve this answer

The question does not specify which immunizations specifically. Some vaccines are virtually harmless except for the common side-effects and very rare but serious reactions. But other vaccines are unnecessary or at least not as important as others because they are for diseases that are mild or virtually non-existent. It's no different than drugs. What are the objective arguments for and against drugs? It depends entirely on the drug and what it's for.

share|improve

 and MMR vaccination is fraudulent.

So, there is no scientific research that demonstrate that contemporary vaccines are harmful, with the exception of allergic reactions (commonly egg protein) and some minor side effects (fever, headache, sore arm, tears, ...). Since even minor side effects can be serious for some populations, some vaccines are not given to all patients (e.g. those who are too young, old, sick, and/or allergic; CDC Flu Vaccine Summary for Clinicians).

There is substantial evidence that vaccines keep people from contracting serious viruses and chronic diseases. For example, a series of interactive graphics from the Wall Street Jornal makes this clear, like this one showing the decline in measles following the introduction of a vaccine:

enter image description here

image credit: Ben Moore

It is not possible to conclude that a vaccine will have no negative effects on health, but it is easy to estimate the probability that the net effect will be positive. Vaccines are definitely not inert - otherwise they would not work. So, on the pro-vaccine side, there are many lives saved and many lives improved. On the anti-vaccine side there are minor side effects and presently undetectable and unnoticeable 'unknowns'. For the sake of being thorough, the risks of ("hospital-acquired infections) and using needles (Guidice and Campbell, 2006) are accepted as risks that are outweighed by the benefits of receiving health care.

While I can find no compelling objective arguments against vaccinating children, Dr. Sears provides comprehensive and well referenced overview of the arguments in "The Vaccine Book". Dr. Sears proposes the possibility that it would be in the public health interest to give some vaccines at later ages and / or more spread out through time, e.g., so that a child only receives one or two in any visit. I think that his strongest case is to question the practice of giving 1-2 day old newborns a vaccine for Hepatitis B - which is transmitted sexually and through shared needles - because the risks of a Hep B vaccine for infants and toddlers are greater than the extremely low rates of Hep B at this age, given the fact that a child of a few months or a years would be better able to tolerate the vaccine than an infant. However, Offit and Moser (2009) suggest that Dr. Sears under-estimates the risk of Hep-B by misrepresenting previous work (they also point out other flaws in the Sears Vaccine book).

Offit and Moser (2009), The Problem With Dr Bob's Alternative Vaccine Schedule, J. Ped. http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-2189

Giudice and Campbell (2006) Needle-free vaccine delivery. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, doi:10.1016/j.addr.2005.12.003

share|improve this answer
I will remove the downvote if you remove the sentence "There is no scientific research showing that vaccines are not harmful". This is simply not a reasonable sentence: you cannot prove that something is completely harmless, and there is plenty of research into potential side effects. –  philosodad Mar 30 '11 at 3:06
So obviously there is some connection. Perhaps they are trying to determine if there's a connection. Asking about something is not the same as stating that there's a connection between the thing being asked about and the (possible) problem/symptom. –  tnorthcutt Apr 1 '11 at 12:48
@MasterZ Remember: Correlation does not equal causation. –  Darwy Apr 22 '11 at 12:20
I must also say that I disagree greatly with Dr. Sears regarding the Hep B vaccine. The purpose of administering it to newborns is to protect them from exposure; and Hep B is not restricted to sexual transmission. Because most people with Hep B are asymptomatic, it is impossible to know who is infected; your daycare workers - other children at daycare or school, etc. It can be transmitted through a bite (and I know my son has been bitten more than once at his daycare), etc. If you wait to vaccinate, the chances are greater your child will be exposed or infected and have chronic liver issues. –  Darwy Oct 3 '11 at 6:16
@LarianLeQuella That sums up my general impression of Dr. Sears. Just about everything I've read of his work seems to be largely based on speculation under the guise of his "decades of experience", rather than scientific research, and he seems to have no hesitation to exaggerate the risks of not buying his book and following his advice. –  Beofett Jan 2 '12 at 13:32

None, really.

There are, on the other hand, strong arguments for immunisation: namely, it helps prevent terrible illnesses.

share|improve this answer
While I don't generally disagree with your assessment, if we are seeking to provide helpful and full answers, his statement doesn't generally answer the question. There ARE arguments (minor side affects, rare allergies, ???), while miniscule and probably outweighed, by the benefits, against immunizing. –  talon8 Mar 30 '11 at 1:34
I don't totally disagree, but this is quite a dismissive and non-objective response, which is particularly bad since the question asked for objective arguments to the contrary. –  Javid Jamae Mar 30 '11 at 4:11
It's a dismissive and objective response. –  Lennart Regebro Mar 30 '11 at 9:14
@nuc @Javid You are abusing the word 'objective.' The scientific consensus is very clear that modern childhood vaccines are safe. The burden of proof is on the other side. Ask for specific effects and you will get a discussion of those. Sometimes, just debating an issue too much gives the scaremongers credibility (like when the inteligent design crowd asks that, even if you don't agree, you should teach the controversy; they are clamoring for this recognition). –  luispedro Mar 30 '11 at 13:47
@nuc: It has 11 upvotes because it is correct and to the point, which is helpful. It has nothing to do with "wanting to hear". –  Lennart Regebro Mar 31 '11 at 6:17

There is really no reason against immunisation. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunization. The benefits are massive. I would actually go as far as stating that denying your child immunization should be considered a crime, similar to not protecting your child with seatbelts and child seats

share|improve this answer
There are actually some reasons for certain populations. While, over-all, the benefits usually outweigh the risks, some do exist and some vaccinations are for relatively harmless diseases. A person with questions should speak with the child's pediatrician, and take the offered suggestions seriously (which will usually mean getting the vaccine), but I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say there is "no argument against" or that not getting them should be a "crime". parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/1513/… –  balanced mama Jan 22 '13 at 0:20
I agree that for very rare and specific cases that vaccination is not feasible, and saying that non-vaccination should be a crime is a little harsh. However, not vaccinating your child with no specific reason (I.E. allergy) on the basis of personal beliefs in certainly unethical, possibly immoral. –  kleineg Jul 8 '14 at 14:43

I very highly recommend the book Bad Science by Dr. Ben Goldacre.
It is very relevant to your question and addresses some of the concerns you may have about Immunization.

It is also a very good book about understanding the difference between Scientific Research results and how they are published in the Media.

share|improve this answer

The question does not specify which immunizations specifically. Some vaccines are virtually harmless except for the common side-effects and very rare but serious reactions. But other vaccines are unnecessary or at least not as important as others because they are for diseases that are mild or virtually non-existent. It's no different than drugs. What are the objective arguments for and against drugs? It depends entirely on the drug and what it's for.

share|improve this answer

Here is the only medical research that I am aware of that connects immunizations with earlier onset of seizures in this disorder: http://www.onmedica.com/newsarticle.aspx?id=e7c292a8-9949-4a65-91f1-3a80d51a7f3b

This article emphasizes that the immunization does not cause the disease, but it does appear to cause it to manifest earlier.

FYI: Here is a link to an exhaustive investigative work on the source of the MMR-Autism vaccine scare. It is lengthy, but very enlightening!

share|improve this answer

The short of it is that there is none. The study that claimed a link between MMR and autism was fraudulent.

The current theory is that autism is the result of an autoimmune disease, related to rheumatoid arthritis, MS, Crohn's Disease, etc (in fact, it's known that a mother with RA or a family history of same places that woman at a greater risk for having a child with autism). The body produces antibodies that view certain brain cells as abnormal and "foreign", and attacks them.

The supposed link between autism and vaccinations can thus be explained by the vaccine's intended effect of causing an immune response in


We now enter Mr. Meril’s shop, a rackety place where, if you know what you’re looking for you can find almost anything – at a price. Mr. Meril is slightly disappointed by his associates need to drag him into all of this, but sees an opportunity to make a quick buck, so after a while (and after multiple assurances that he’ll be appropriately compensated) he decides to lead the duo to a doctor.

This doctor, a heavily racist Amarr, works out of a “tattoo parlor”. As the group enters the Minmatar guard sitting at the counter notices Mr. Meril and ushers them through to the body shop. A none too sanitary room with a single battered medical chair. Inside the Amarrian doctor jovially greets Mr. Meril and business is conducted. After some talk of cash Cash gets restricted to the chair and sedated. But, Fate (read: the DM) being the little bitch that it is the sedation only half works. It paralyses him all right, but it doesn’t numb the senses. Cash spends an hour in agony as the doctor does his dirty business. He does come out of it with a shiny new golden arm with a hidden blade (Altair called, he wants his schtick back) and a hacking module inserted in it.

A hacking module?

No… Because while he was sedated Mr. Meril took through rifling through his pockets in an attempt to gather some leverage on Cash. Unbeknownst to Mr. Meril Cash saw all of this happening and is none too pleased. A fight breaks out in the waiting room whilst Cash tries to take back his hacking module. The Minmatar guard does nothing but mumble mockingly about how the Caldari can’t throw a punch worth shit. In the end the matter is resolved peacefully by Cash calling his employers over at the Syndicate and confirming that a briefcase with money will be waiting for them in Mr. Meril’s shop. The trio drive back to the shop with a heavy air of hostility hanging in between them.

At the shop two Gallenteans from the Syndicate have just arrived with the cash to get Cash his hacking mod back. After confirming the cash is about double what it cost him Mr. Meril is satisfied and the three start to get ready to part ways. If it weren’t for the Serpentis that is.

See, the Serpentis really want that hacking module back and they’ve been sweeping the streets. Suddenly a group of five Serpentis flunkies see a car. Leo’s car to be precise. A shootout ensues as the Serpentis try to gun down the inhabitants of the shop. The syndicate thugs respond by opening fire. Mr. Meril in return responds by dropping down security plating in the shop windows and gets behind a sentry turret. Cash responds by going into the back room to do some drugs and hack Mr. Meril’s computer and Leo responds by cowering under the counter.

The battle swiftly ends with one Serpentis getting his face completely obliterated by the sentry and the other Serpentis getting shot as the armor plating gets pulled away from the windows again by Mr. Meril. Only one thug survives which Mr. Meril proceeds to try and interrogate, only to find out he’s utterly ravished by pain and needs some drugs to be able to even speak coherently. Cash makes a move to give him some drugs but instead elects to keep the drugs for himself and stab the thug with his hidden blade.

Mr. Meril is naturally none too pleased and Leo almost faints: “You have a hidden blade? Who has a hidden blade? GODS!”. After Mr. Meril is promised some indeterminate future favor and possible Syndicate contracts Leo and Cash leave. Cash intimidates Leo in coming with as his bodyguard and they leave in the ride of the Syndicate thugs, heading towards a Syndicate safe/warehouse.

That ended the session, the players all got a minor advance and at that point it was way too late so the DM went to bed.

Welcome to your Adventure Log!
A blog for your campaign

<|endoftext|>chatbot: hello! would you like some cupcakes?
MicrowaveAppliance432: yes, please. if they are chocolate.
chatbot: oh unfortunately they are pumpkin. i just baked them.
MicrowaveAppliance432: that sounds interesting, you should bring them by my dads restaurant to try.
chatbot: i wonder how close that is to the grocery store i work at.
MicrowaveAppliance432: i think it is straight through the park.
chatbot: cool. i can come over after work on monday.
MicrowaveAppliance432: you can, i will be there, along with my sisters.
chatbot: how many of you in total?
MicrowaveAppliance432: my parents had seven girls, could you imagine dealing with all of that drama?
chatbot: wow! that is impressive. i will bring two dozens of cupcakes then.
MicrowaveAppliance432: that would be wonderful, we are looking for a baker.
chatbot: so this is like a test. i will bring some chocolate cupcakes.
MicrowaveAppliance432: it could be. do you mind
chatbot: not at all. i will put them in a blue basket. i like blue.
MicrowaveAppliance432: our restaurant is done in blue and white.<|endoftext|>How To Get Enough Fiber On A Keto Diet.

The ketogenic diet is still one of the most popular dieting trends across the United States without showing any sign of slowing down. However, as effective as this diet is for weight-loss, cutting back on carbohydrates can great a gap in your nutrition, one being your fiber intake.

Constipation is also a common challenge that plagues many people who follow a keto diet routine due to lack of fiber in their meal plan. Not eating sufficient amounts of fiber can result in fewer bowel movements, therefore making you think twice about whether or not the keto diet is worth the effort.

To help avoid these challenges and help you reduce fiber deficiency, we will be looking at how to get enough fiber on a keto diet by sharing some of the best food sources for fiber, how much you should be taking, and the benefits.

Let’s get started!

What Is Dietary Fiber? Understanding The Basics

Dietary fiber is a term that describes indigestible plant fibers such as carbohydrates and lignins that are mostly found in plant-based foods. Most of the fiber that we consume comes from the plant walls, which are essential to maintaining their structure and shape.

Consumable fiber can be divided into two types: soluble and insoluble fiber. Let’s take a look at the differences between both these types of fiber to understand their differences.

Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber, when mixed in water, turns into a gel-like substance. Natural bacteria in your gut and colon ferment soluble fiber into byproducts at a slow rate which adds bulk to your stool, therefore helping you feel more full for longer periods of time.

Sufficient sources of soluble fiber can be found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.

Insoluble fiber

Unlike soluble fiber, Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and moves through your digestive system without changing form. As it passes through your intestines and colon, it will absorb water. It also helps to ease bowel movements, therefore eliminating digestion problems such as constipation.

Sufficient sources of insoluble fiber can be found in foods such as grains, nuts, seeds, fruit-skin, grapes, tomatoes, and some vegetables.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Dietary Fiber?

Many people who are on their ketogenic journey don’t give enough thought to the importance of fiber. Below, we listed some key benefits of dietary fiber and why you should consider including it into your diet.

Can Improve Overall Gut Health

Our intestines contain millions of living bacteria that are essential to maintaining a healthy gut. Research has shown that these tiny organisms play an important role in helping to lower systemic inflammation which is linked to diabetes, obesity and other chronic health complications.

Helps You Lose Weight

Consuming sufficient amounts of soluble fiber can help you lose weight by reducing your appetite, therefore causing you to eat fewer calories throughout the day. It also helps to lower your blood sugar and change the composition of gastrointestinal microbiota which is linked to obesity. (source)

Lowers The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

Dietary fiber (particularly soluble fiber) can help people with type 2 diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels.

Studies conducted by the World Health Organization investigated the relationship between a healthy diet and various chronic diseases including diabetes in over 340,000 individuals from 10 European countries. Their finding’s concluded that fiber plays an important role in reducing insulin spiking, therefore lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Lowers The Risk Of Heart Disease

According to a meta-analysis completed by the US National Library Of Medicine, consuming high amounts of dietary fiber can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Consuming fiber helps to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) which is often found in unhealthy fats. This can significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening heart conditions such as heart attack and stroke by reducing blood pressure and inflammation.

Reduces The Risk Of Certain Types Of Cancers

Eating more fiber may reduce the risk of certain

 Leo is not at all happy by the blood staining his fine seats.

We now enter Mr. Meril’s shop, a rackety place where, if you know what you’re looking for you can find almost anything – at a price. Mr. Meril is slightly disappointed by his associates need to drag him into all of this, but sees an opportunity to make a quick buck, so after a while (and after multiple assurances that he’ll be appropriately compensated) he decides to lead the duo to a doctor.

This doctor, a heavily racist Amarr, works out of a “tattoo parlor”. As the group enters the Minmatar guard sitting at the counter notices Mr. Meril and ushers them through to the body shop. A none too sanitary room with a single battered medical chair. Inside the Amarrian doctor jovially greets Mr. Meril and business is conducted. After some talk of cash Cash gets restricted to the chair and sedated. But, Fate (read: the DM) being the little bitch that it is the sedation only half works. It paralyses him all right, but it doesn’t numb the senses. Cash spends an hour in agony as the doctor does his dirty business. He does come out of it with a shiny new golden arm with a hidden blade (Altair called, he wants his schtick back) and a hacking module inserted in it.

A hacking module?

No… Because while he was sedated Mr. Meril took through rifling through his pockets in an attempt to gather some leverage on Cash. Unbeknownst to Mr. Meril Cash saw all of this happening and is none too pleased. A fight breaks out in the waiting room whilst Cash tries to take back his hacking module. The Minmatar guard does nothing but mumble mockingly about how the Caldari can’t throw a punch worth shit. In the end the matter is resolved peacefully by Cash calling his employers over at the Syndicate and confirming that a briefcase with money will be waiting for them in Mr. Meril’s shop. The trio drive back to the shop with a heavy air of hostility hanging in between them.

At the shop two Gallenteans from the Syndicate have just arrived with the cash to get Cash his hacking mod back. After confirming the cash is about double what it cost him Mr. Meril is satisfied and the three start to get ready to part ways. If it weren’t for the Serpentis that is.

See, the Serpentis really want that hacking module back and they’ve been sweeping the streets. Suddenly a group of five Serpentis flunkies see a car. Leo’s car to be precise. A shootout ensues as the Serpentis try to gun down the inhabitants of the shop. The syndicate thugs respond by opening fire. Mr. Meril in return responds by dropping down security plating in the shop windows and gets behind a sentry turret. Cash responds by going into the back room to do some drugs and hack Mr. Meril’s computer and Leo responds by cowering under the counter.

The battle swiftly ends with one Serpentis getting his face completely obliterated by the sentry and the other Serpentis getting shot as the armor plating gets pulled away from the windows again by Mr. Meril. Only one thug survives which Mr. Meril proceeds to try and interrogate, only to find out he’s utterly ravished by pain and needs some drugs to be able to even speak coherently. Cash makes a move to give him some drugs but instead elects to keep the drugs for himself and stab the thug with his hidden blade.

Mr. Meril is naturally none too pleased and Leo almost faints: “You have a hidden blade? Who has a hidden blade? GODS!”. After Mr. Meril is promised some indeterminate future favor and possible Syndicate contracts Leo and Cash leave. Cash intimidates Leo in coming with as his bodyguard and they leave in the ride of the Syndicate thugs, heading towards a Syndicate safe/warehouse.

That ended the session, the players all got a minor advance and at that point it was way too late so the DM went to bed.

Welcome to your Adventure Log!
A blog for your campaign

<|endoftext|>How To Get Enough Fiber On A Keto Diet.

The ketogenic diet is still one of the most popular dieting trends across the United States without showing any sign of slowing down. However, as effective as this diet is for weight-loss, cutting back on carbohydrates can great a gap in your nutrition, one being your fiber intake.

Constipation is also a common challenge that plagues many people who follow a keto diet routine due to lack of fiber in their meal plan. Not eating sufficient amounts of fiber can result in fewer bowel movements, therefore making you think twice about whether or not the keto diet is worth the effort.

To help avoid these challenges and help you reduce fiber deficiency, we will be looking at how to get enough fiber on a keto diet by sharing some of the best food sources for fiber, how much you should be taking, and the benefits.

Let’s get started!

What Is Dietary Fiber? Understanding The Basics

Dietary fiber is a term that describes indigestible plant fibers such as carbohydrates and lignins that are mostly found in plant-based foods. Most of the fiber that we consume comes from the plant walls, which are essential to maintaining their structure and shape.

Consumable fiber can be divided into two types: soluble and insoluble fiber. Let’s take a look at the differences between both these types of fiber to understand their differences.

Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber, when mixed in water, turns into a gel-like substance. Natural bacteria in your gut and colon ferment soluble fiber into byproducts at a slow rate which adds bulk to your stool, therefore helping you feel more full for longer periods of time.

Sufficient sources of soluble fiber can be found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.

Insoluble fiber

Unlike soluble fiber, Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and moves through your digestive system without changing form. As it passes through your intestines and colon, it will absorb water. It also helps to ease bowel movements, therefore eliminating digestion problems such as constipation.

Sufficient sources of insoluble fiber can be found in foods such as grains, nuts, seeds, fruit-skin, grapes, tomatoes, and some vegetables.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Dietary Fiber?

Many people who are on their ketogenic journey don’t give enough thought to the importance of fiber. Below, we listed some key benefits of dietary fiber and why you should consider including it into your diet.

Can Improve Overall Gut Health

Our intestines contain millions of living bacteria that are essential to maintaining a healthy gut. Research has shown that these tiny organisms play an important role in helping to lower systemic inflammation which is linked to diabetes, obesity and other chronic health complications.

Helps You Lose Weight

Consuming sufficient amounts of soluble fiber can help you lose weight by reducing your appetite, therefore causing you to eat fewer calories throughout the day. It also helps to lower your blood sugar and change the composition of gastrointestinal microbiota which is linked to obesity. (source)

Lowers The Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

Dietary fiber (particularly soluble fiber) can help people with type 2 diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels.

Studies conducted by the World Health Organization investigated the relationship between a healthy diet and various chronic diseases including diabetes in over 340,000 individuals from 10 European countries. Their finding’s concluded that fiber plays an important role in reducing insulin spiking, therefore lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Lowers The Risk Of Heart Disease

According to a meta-analysis completed by the US National Library Of Medicine, consuming high amounts of dietary fiber can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Consuming fiber helps to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) which is often found in unhealthy fats. This can significantly reduce the risk of life-threatening heart conditions such as heart attack and stroke by reducing blood pressure and inflammation.

Reduces The Risk Of Certain Types Of Cancers

Eating more fiber may reduce the risk of certain types of cancers. Some of these can include:

  • colon cancer
  • endometrial cancer
  • ovarian cancer
  • breast cancer
  • pancreatic cancer

Research also suggests that most of the cancer reducing benefits of fiber come from helping to control blood insulin levels after meals, as well as the production of short-chain fatty acids from gut microbiota.

Conclusions in one study where 15,740 adult participants were followed for 13 years on average, showed that eating at least 18 grams of dietary fiber per day reduced the overall risk of cancer by 24%.

One of the best practices you can do is doing a complete colon cleanse. Adding fiber to colon cleansing supplements can enhance your body’s ability to remove unwanted bacteria, improve gut health, and even help you lose weight!

You can explore our review on the best colon cleanse supplements for weight loss if cleansing your colon is something you are interested in doing.

Lowers Constipation

If you experience constipation, then fiber can often be your best friend.

Constipation occurs when your colon absorbs too much water from the food you eat, which cause digestive contractions to function at a slower rate. This can cause the colon muscles in your colon to slow down, therefore resulting in constipation.


 due to rapid finger and wrist movement.

  18. Family history?

    Why: e.g. neurofibromatosis 2 may cause facial paresthesia; multiple sclerosis; migraine.

  19. Sexually transmitted disease history?

    Why: Tabes dorsalis of syphilis may be cause of limb paresthesia.

  20. Possible poisoning?

    Why: e.g. neurotoxic shellfish poisoning; ingestion of tetrodotoxin- containing puffer fish.

  21. Pain in the involved leg or foot?

  22. Pain in the involved arm?

    Why: if also pain in the involved arm this usually suggests herniated cervical disc , spinal cord tumor or cervical spondylosis. Other conditions to consider are brachial plexus neuropathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, cervical rib, Pancoast's tumor, Raynaud's disease, sympathetic dystrophy or various entrapment syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.

  23. Weakness in the involved arm or hand?

    Why: may suggest a type of brachial plexus; compression of the C8 segment by cervical spondylosis or a disc herniation, median or ulnar nerve lesions; diabetes mellitus causing a peripheral neuropathy.

  24. Incontinence of urine?

    Why: If incontinence or urine is present with leg paresthesia, this may suggest poliomyelitis, cauda equina tumor or metastatic tumor of the lumbar spine.

  25. Back pain?

    Why: if associated with thigh paresthesia may suggest prolapsed disc causing pressure on L2 or L3 nerve roots (note L2 causes buttock numbness also).

  26. Buttock pain and paresthesia?

    Why: would suggest L2 nerve root compression.

  27. Neck pain?

    Why: if associated with arm paresthesia, may suggest a cervical spinal cord or nerve root lesion due to cervical spondylosis (degeneration) or herniated cervical disc.

  28. Headaches?

    Why: may suggest migraine or mass in brain.

  29. Symptoms of spinal canal stenosis?

    Why: e.g. long history of backache; pain initially in the lumbar back area and then radiating distally into buttocks and legs; numbness may be present in groin, medial thigh, big toe or little toe.

  30. Symptoms of peripheral atherosclerosis?

    Why: e.g. intermittent claudication (cramp like pain in the calves with exercise, relieved by rest), calf pain with rest, occasionally may have transient paresthesia of the leg accompanying the pain and fatigue of claudication.

  31. Symptoms of acute lower limb ischemia?

    Why: e.g. sudden severe leg pain, pallor of skin, paresthesia of lower leg, paralysis or weakness of leg.

  32. Symptoms of Diabetes mellitus?

  33. Symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome?

    Why: e.g. symptoms begin 7-10 days after an infective illness. It results in muscle paralysis which typically ascends from the lower to the upper limbs. Sensory loss (paresthesia) is usually minimal.

  34. Symptoms of meralgia paresthetica?

    Why: e.g. a burning pain with associated paresthesia and tingling over the outer surface of the thigh. The distribution of pain and paresthesia does not cross the midline. It is due to entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve of the thigh.

  35. Symptoms of L3 nerve root pain?

    Why: e.g. pain over the front of thigh, inner aspect of thigh, knee and leg; paresthesia over the front of thigh.

  36. Symptoms of femoral nerve neuropathy?

    Why: e.g. paresthesia over the inner aspect of the thigh and leg; weakness of the quadriceps muscle in the thigh causing weakness of straightening the leg.

  37. Symptoms of stroke?

    Why: e.g. weakness or paralysis of facial muscles, weakness or paralysis of a limb(s), difficulty speaking or swallowing.

  38. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

    Why: e.g. blurry vision, double vision, dizziness, weakness, paresthesia or tingling in any limbs.

  39. Symptoms of hyperventilation?

    Why: usually associated with anxiety e.g. lightheadedness, faintness, dizziness, breathlessness, palpitations, sweating, dry mouth, agitation, fatigue, paresthesia of the hands, feet or mouth.

  40. Symptoms of sinusitis?

    Why: e.g. fever, facial pain and tenderness, toothache, post-nasal drip nasal obstruction, runny nose, cough, fever, bleeding nose - may suggest cavernous sinus thrombosis as the cause of facial paresthesia as it is a complication of acute sinusitis.

  41. Symptoms of migraine?

    Why: e.g. headache which may be preceded by temporary unilateral loss of vision (partial or total), transient difficulty with speech together with possible tingling, paresthesia or vague weakness of one side of the face. Nausea and vomiting may follow.

  42. Symptoms of neurofibromatosis 2?

    Why: e.g. symptoms of acoustic neuroma, facial weakness, pain or paresthesia.

  43. Symptoms of acoustic neuroma?

    Why: e.g. progressive deafness, dizziness, paresthesia of that side of the face and facial weakness, followed by clumsiness.

  44. Symptom of cavernous sinus thrombosis?

    Why: e.g. fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, proptosis (forward displacement of the eyeball), double vision, facial paresthesia over the forehead.

  45. Symptoms of hypocalcemia (low levels of calcium in the blood)?

    Why: e.g. paresthesia around the mouth, muscle cramps, anxiety, facial muscle twitching may be followed by convulsions, stridor and psychosis.

  46. Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning?

    Why: e.g. paresthesia around the mouth, feeling unwell, clumsiness and if severe paralysis of the limb muscles.

  47. Symptoms of low calcium?

    Why: e.g. pins and needles, paresthesia around the mouth, cramps, anxiety, muscular contractions (tetany). The symptoms may be followed by seizures, stridor and psychosis.

  48. Symptoms of hypoparathyroidism ?

    Why: e.g. as for hypocalcemia.

  49. Symptoms of herpes simplex labialis (cold sores)?

  50. Symptoms of anxiety?

    Why: e.g. nervousness, shakiness, tremor, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, poor concentration, heart palpitations, racing heart, sweating, dizziness, diarrhea, lump in throat and frequency of urination. May also experience hyperventilation (rapid breathing) which can cause paresthesia around the lips, lightheadedness and tingling in the extremities.

  51. Symptoms of panic attacks or panic disorder?

    Why: e.g. sudden, unexpected, short-lived episodes of intense anxiety. Intense anxiety episodes usually include hyperventilation (rapid breathing) which may cause paresthesia around the lips, lightheadedness and paresthesia in the extremities.

  52. Phobias?

    Why: persistent, irrational fear with a compelling desire to avoid the object or situation occurs in Phobia disorders and may be confused with generalized anxiety disorder or be associated with anxiety.

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Paresthesias:

The following list of conditions have 'Paresthesias' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Paresthesias or choose View All.

Conditions listing medical complications: Paresthesias:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Paresthesias' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

<|endoftext|>chatbot: hi how are you doing
BatherAlbum259: hey there! i am a guy that is really into candy.
chatbot: my kids love to eat candy
BatherAlbum259: what kinds? i love sour candy.
chatbot: all sorts of gummy candies
BatherAlbum259: awesome. i like to make candy too. i know how to do a lot.
chatbot: wow that seems like it would be hard
BatherAlbum259: yes it is. i am bad at it. i make candy because i like to be alone.
chatbot: oh ok do you want to sell it
BatherAlbum259: yes eventually. i want to make a successful business to make my family proud.
chatbot: that is so great do you have kids
BatherAlbum259: i have one daughter. how about you?
chatbot: i have 2 twin boys
BatherAlbum259: that is so cute. tell me more about yourself.<|endoftext|>Fewer American teens than ever are seeking jobs or working during the summer months

Summer break used to be the perfect opportunity to make some extra cash and gain a

furantoin, cisplatinum, amiodarone; oral contraceptive pill may increase the risk of cavernous sinus thrombosis which may cause facial paresthesia; some medications may cause low calcium levels including calcitonin and diphosphonates; beta-blocker blood pressure medications and ergotamine can aggravate Raynaud's phenomenon.

  15. Dietary history?

  16. Alcohol history?

    Why: will help determine the risk of alcohol peripheral neuropathy.

  17. Occupational history?

    Why: certain occupations requiring repetitive motions are at risk of causing work-induced overuse disorders e.g. process and meat workers are at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome due to rapid finger and wrist movement.

  18. Family history?

    Why: e.g. neurofibromatosis 2 may cause facial paresthesia; multiple sclerosis; migraine.

  19. Sexually transmitted disease history?

    Why: Tabes dorsalis of syphilis may be cause of limb paresthesia.

  20. Possible poisoning?

    Why: e.g. neurotoxic shellfish poisoning; ingestion of tetrodotoxin- containing puffer fish.

  21. Pain in the involved leg or foot?

  22. Pain in the involved arm?

    Why: if also pain in the involved arm this usually suggests herniated cervical disc , spinal cord tumor or cervical spondylosis. Other conditions to consider are brachial plexus neuropathy, thoracic outlet syndrome, cervical rib, Pancoast's tumor, Raynaud's disease, sympathetic dystrophy or various entrapment syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.

  23. Weakness in the involved arm or hand?

    Why: may suggest a type of brachial plexus; compression of the C8 segment by cervical spondylosis or a disc herniation, median or ulnar nerve lesions; diabetes mellitus causing a peripheral neuropathy.

  24. Incontinence of urine?

    Why: If incontinence or urine is present with leg paresthesia, this may suggest poliomyelitis, cauda equina tumor or metastatic tumor of the lumbar spine.

  25. Back pain?

    Why: if associated with thigh paresthesia may suggest prolapsed disc causing pressure on L2 or L3 nerve roots (note L2 causes buttock numbness also).

  26. Buttock pain and paresthesia?

    Why: would suggest L2 nerve root compression.

  27. Neck pain?

    Why: if associated with arm paresthesia, may suggest a cervical spinal cord or nerve root lesion due to cervical spondylosis (degeneration) or herniated cervical disc.

  28. Headaches?

    Why: may suggest migraine or mass in brain.

  29. Symptoms of spinal canal stenosis?

    Why: e.g. long history of backache; pain initially in the lumbar back area and then radiating distally into buttocks and legs; numbness may be present in groin, medial thigh, big toe or little toe.

  30. Symptoms of peripheral atherosclerosis?

    Why: e.g. intermittent claudication (cramp like pain in the calves with exercise, relieved by rest), calf pain with rest, occasionally may have transient paresthesia of the leg accompanying the pain and fatigue of claudication.

  31. Symptoms of acute lower limb ischemia?

    Why: e.g. sudden severe leg pain, pallor of skin, paresthesia of lower leg, paralysis or weakness of leg.

  32. Symptoms of Diabetes mellitus?

  33. Symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome?

    Why: e.g. symptoms begin 7-10 days after an infective illness. It results in muscle paralysis which typically ascends from the lower to the upper limbs. Sensory loss (paresthesia) is usually minimal.

  34. Symptoms of meralgia paresthetica?

    Why: e.g. a burning pain with associated paresthesia and tingling over the outer surface of the thigh. The distribution of pain and paresthesia does not cross the midline. It is due to entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve of the thigh.

  35. Symptoms of L3 nerve root pain?

    Why: e.g. pain over the front of thigh, inner aspect of thigh, knee and leg; paresthesia over the front of thigh.

  36. Symptoms of femoral nerve neuropathy?

    Why: e.g. paresthesia over the inner aspect of the thigh and leg; weakness of the quadriceps muscle in the thigh causing weakness of straightening the leg.

  37. Symptoms of stroke?

    Why: e.g. weakness or paralysis of facial muscles, weakness or paralysis of a limb(s), difficulty speaking or swallowing.

  38. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

    Why: e.g. blurry vision, double vision, dizziness, weakness, paresthesia or tingling in any limbs.

  39. Symptoms of hyperventilation?

    Why: usually associated with anxiety e.g. lightheadedness, faintness, dizziness, breathlessness, palpitations, sweating, dry mouth, agitation, fatigue, paresthesia of the hands, feet or mouth.

  40. Symptoms of sinusitis?

    Why: e.g. fever, facial pain and tenderness, toothache, post-nasal drip nasal obstruction, runny nose, cough, fever, bleeding nose - may suggest cavernous sinus thrombosis as the cause of facial paresthesia as it is a complication of acute sinusitis.

  41. Symptoms of migraine?

    Why: e.g. headache which may be preceded by temporary unilateral loss of vision (partial or total), transient difficulty with speech together with possible tingling, paresthesia or vague weakness of one side of the face. Nausea and vomiting may follow.

  42. Symptoms of neurofibromatosis 2?

    Why: e.g. symptoms of acoustic neuroma, facial weakness, pain or paresthesia.

  43. Symptoms of acoustic neuroma?

    Why: e.g. progressive deafness, dizziness, paresthesia of that side of the face and facial weakness, followed by clumsiness.

  44. Symptom of cavernous sinus thrombosis?

    Why: e.g. fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, proptosis (forward displacement of the eyeball), double vision, facial paresthesia over the forehead.

  45. Symptoms of hypocalcemia (low levels of calcium in the blood)?

    Why: e.g. paresthesia around the mouth, muscle cramps, anxiety, facial muscle twitching may be followed by convulsions, stridor and psychosis.

  46. Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning?

    Why: e.g. paresthesia around the mouth, feeling unwell, clumsiness and if severe paralysis of the limb muscles.

  47. Symptoms of low calcium?

    Why: e.g. pins and needles, paresthesia around the mouth, cramps, anxiety, muscular contractions (tetany). The symptoms may be followed by seizures, stridor and psychosis.

  48. Symptoms of hypoparathyroidism ?

    Why: e.g. as for hypocalcemia.

  49. Symptoms of herpes simplex labialis (cold sores)?

  50. Symptoms of anxiety?

    Why: e.g. nervousness, shakiness, tremor, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, poor concentration, heart palpitations, racing heart, sweating, dizziness, diarrhea, lump in throat and frequency of urination. May also experience hyperventilation (rapid breathing) which can cause paresthesia around the lips, lightheadedness and tingling in the extremities.

  51. Symptoms of panic attacks or panic disorder?

    Why: e.g. sudden, unexpected, short-lived episodes of intense anxiety. Intense anxiety episodes usually include hyperventilation (rapid breathing) which may cause paresthesia around the lips, lightheadedness and paresthesia in the extremities.

  52. Phobias?

    Why: persistent, irrational fear with a compelling desire to avoid the object or situation occurs in Phobia disorders and may be confused with generalized anxiety disorder or be associated with anxiety.

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Paresthesias:

The following list of conditions have 'Paresthesias' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Paresthesias or choose View All.

Conditions listing medical complications: Paresthesias:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Paresthesias' or similar listed as a medical complication in our database.

<|endoftext|>Fewer American teens than ever are seeking jobs or working during the summer months

Summer break used to be the perfect opportunity to make some extra cash and gain a little real-world experience, but the proportion of teens who are focusing on only working or seeking work during the summer months has dropped almost 20 percent in the past two decades.

Fewer American teenagers are working and seeking work than ever before, and it’s largely due to the fact they’re staying in classrooms instead