2010: Jagged Little Pill

[andywebs]

Michael, since you are not going to win against all of society, for your own sanity, just do this silent replacement in your head when people are talking.

Chemicals -> Harmful Chemicals
Natural -> Non-Harmful
Literally -> Figuratively
Corporations -> Evil Corporations

[fractal fairy]

Now that the majority of clinical trials are being done by private industry, and the FDA regulations are defined by number of effective trials (disregarding trials with negative results) for pharmaceuticals... it seems to me like "Western medicine" and "alternative medicine" (meaning not FDA approved) both have plenty of bullshit to offer.

Antibiotics, vaccines, antidepressants, etc are all obviously medicines that save lives, but there are plenty of pharmaceuticals that probably do more harm than good. When profit--not preventative care or healing--is the goal, there is bound to be "medicine" that is FDA approved that treats non-life-threatening ailments before long-term side effects can be studied, and even some that are known to have life-threatening short-term side effects but are on the market anyway.

Also, any solutions that can't be patented, e.g. cranberry juice or St. John's Wort, are probably less likely to be offered by a doctor and are way less likely to be advertised to consumers.

[MichaelApproved]

Originally Posted by andywebs

Michael, since you are not going to win against all of society, for your own sanity, just do this silent replacement in your head when people are talking.

Chemicals -> Harmful Chemicals
Natural -> Non-Harmful
Literally -> Figuratively
Corporations -> Evil Corporations

I know that it's what people are trying to say but even the words "Harmful Chemicals" are devoid of substance. It's so ambiguous, it doesn't move the conversation forward. Some people believe preservatives are harmful chemicals. Well, salt is a preservative. Unless you go into a little more depth, the conversation is little more than a circle jerk.

[andywebs]

Originally Posted by MichaelApproved

Unless you go into a little more depth, the conversation is little more than a circle jerk.

I don't want to go more in depth. That is a boring conversation. I would like a label that says "This food will not kill you any faster than you are currently dying"

Now lets talk about this circle jerk thing. Way more interesting conversation.

Are we talking all dudes, is it male-female-male-female?

Maybe you could put an app together that takes in everyones sexual preferences, and organizes a circle jerk that places everyone next to two acceptable partners?

App Name Ideas?

[MichaelApproved]

Originally Posted by fractal fairy

Also, any solutions that can't be patented, e.g. cranberry juice or St. John's Wort, are probably less likely to be offered by a doctor and are way less likely to be advertised to consumers.

It's a big misconception that, if it can't be patented, your doctor is less likely to offer it as a treatment. Good doctors do not want to drug up their patients. If you have a UTI and your doctor doesn't recommend cranberry juice, change doctors.

This keeps getting brought up but has anyone actually experienced this? I'd like to hear a first hand account about how their doctor said only take antibiotics and not to bother with cranberry juice.

Did you burn yourself? Which doctor wouldn't recommend putting aloe vera on it? If your doctor doesn't recommend that, it's not a indictment on western medicine, it's an indictment on your shitty doctor.

[MichaelApproved]

Originally Posted by andywebs

I don't want to go more in depth. That is a boring conversation. I would like a label that says "This food will not kill you any faster than you are currently dying"

Now lets talk about this circle jerk thing. Way more interesting conversation.

Are we talking all dudes, is it male-female-male-female?

Maybe you could put an app together that takes in everyones sexual preferences, and organizes a circle jerk that places everyone next to two acceptable partners?

App Name Ideas?

Forget the Theory of everything. The algorithm used to power that app would be far more important to humanity.

[MichaelApproved]

Originally Posted by Keith

I took a gamble. It should be up very shortly.

Just got a notice that it's about to be released. Should be a matter of a few minutes or hours! Here's what the new app could do, when it's released

- Access to many more shows in the KATG network.
- Sort shows by most recently listened.
- Filter shows to only ones that have been downloaded.
- Easy delete of downloaded files.
- Video previews of episodes.
- Improved live show stream.
- Improved downloads of episodes.
- Audio, video and other exclusive content with with your KATG VIP account.

Also, Daniel is making significant improvements on the Android app. VIP access has been setup and is working well. He's continuing to make progress and I'll keep updating everyone on how that's going.

[Keith]

But what does the word 'theory' even means? Is relativity a theory? Can we all have theories? It's a meaningless word!

[MichaelApproved]

Originally Posted by Keith

But what does the word 'theory' even means? Is relativity a theory? Can we all have theories? It's a meaningless word!

I'm happy you brought this up. A lot of people get confused by the use of the word theory in scientific terms, you're not alone. The Theory of everything uses the scientific definition of theory. In short, an English theory is when you ponder something. A scientific theory is an attempt to explain how something works.

The theory of gravity isn't a pondering of if gravity exists, it's an explanation of how gravity works.

In regular English, a theory is a contemplative and rational type of abstract or generalizing thinking, or the results of such thinking. Depending on the context, the results might for example include generalized explanations of how nature works. A theory provides an explanatory framework for some observation, and from the assumptions of the explanation follows a number of possible hypotheses that can be tested in order to provide support for, or challenge, the theory.

A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through the scientific method, and repeatedly confirmed through observation and experimentation. As with most (if not all) forms of scientific knowledge, scientific theories are inductive in nature and aim for predictive power and explanatory force.

[Keith]

But all these words. What ARE words? I mean, I know that when people put certain sounds together I SUPPOSE I can figure out what they're trying to say, but what is anyone REALLY ever saying? Anything even? Figi juop gumnh. What?