General Questions Thread

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Klashikari

That's the usual price for albums in Japan. It is actually "reasonable" in contrast with games, goods etc. Be glad they don't overprice them just like DVD/BD.

Must have been a long time since I bought an album.....I remember them going for around USD$20 the last time I bought one.

[Paranoid Android]

Originally Posted by Izayoi

What is the difference between creek bike and mountain bike? Is there even such thing as creek bike?

No, I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a creek bike. I'm a cycling enthusiast but never heard of such a thing. But it could be a local thing to some areas or someone wanted to feel special and tried to give a bike their own unofficial name.

If it did exist, there would be no reason anyone would want to use one as all the thinkable environments are already covered.

Paved - Road bike
Unpaved - Mountain bike
Finished Floor - Track bike
Stunt/Arena - BMX bike
Water - Hydro bike
Snow - Ski bike

[Stiletto]

I'm on an exercise regime that consists of endurance training and weight lifting. I've been taking in my protein shakes but I've recently been consulted that my anabolic environment is lacking because I haven't been taking casein protein.

I know the people here are a whole lot smarter then me. So, I want to hear about the effects of casein. On an Autistic Aspergers. I've heard all kinds of things, like that we can't break it down properly and it stays in our system. I want to know if this is actually founded and we really aren't suppose to take it.

I got sick from being breastfed when I was still a babe, I think its a coincidence but I just really want to make sure if it'd be okay or not.

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Stiletto

I'm on an exercise regime that consists of endurance training and weight lifting. I've been taking in my protein shakes but I've recently been consulted that my anabolic environment is lacking because I haven't been taking casein protein.

I looked it up just now. The medical literature indicates that there was a theory that casein and gluten would worsen symptoms of children (no age range is given) with an autism spectrum disorder. One study seemed to indicate that restricting gluten and casein in the diet was effective in reducing the symptoms, but another study that involved more individuals showed that there was no link. I give more weight to the second trial, based on its larger sample size, and would say that there's no link. Given that you're no longer a child, it probably would not apply to you regardless.

Regarding weight training nutrition, a lot of those protein powders, shakes, and supplements are marketing fluff. As long as you have a healthy diet (in terms of food variety and portion), you're getting what you need. Excess protein from shakes and such won't help you. However, if taking them makes you feel that you're improving faster, or makes you feel that you can push yourself farther, then they're not a total waste of money. Just recognize that the effect is psychological, and not physiological.

Originally Posted by Stiletto

I got sick from being breastfed when I was still a babe, I think its a coincidence but I just really want to make sure if it'd be okay or not.

There are a lot of potential reasons for that - it could have been something with your body, or it could have been something with your mother's milk, or both.

[Lord of Fire]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Must have been a long time since I bought an album.....I remember them going for around USD$20 the last time I bought one.

Then either times have changed, you bought albums from lesser-known artists, or you just bought older albums that were priced down.

That, or you found one heck of a cheap retailer.

[Hasumi]

My back, neck and shoulders have been slightly deformed for three years now.

Is there any way to fix this, other than surgery?

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Detective-san

My back, neck and shoulders have been slightly deformed for three years now.

Is there any way to fix this, other than surgery?

It's possible that physical rehabilitation and a chiropractor can correct it, if not fully then at least partially, but it depends on the cause of the deformity. You mentioned that it has been three years since you had the deformity - did it develop on its own, or was there some trauma that induced it? Do you know what the cause is, or have any medical professionals told you anything about it? Is it just positional, or does it interfere with your normal activities and/or cause pain?

[MeoTwister5]

Sounds like scoliosis, or generally a spinal column deformity. Get a consult with an orthopedic surgeon and you'll likely need an x-ray.

[Haak]

What's the deal with CAIR and why does everybody hate them?

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by Haak

What's the deal with CAIR and why does everybody hate them?

This CAIR?

[Warning: article "controversial," heavily trolled by wikinationalist nutjobs]

If it is this CAIR, I'm sure I don't need to give you a rundown of US-Islamic relations and the issues therein.

[NeoChan]

Why does people in anime, don't peel the skin of roasted sweet potato they are eating?

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

This CAIR?

[Warning: article "controversial," heavily trolled by wikinationalist nutjobs]

If it is this CAIR, I'm sure I don't need to give you a rundown of US-Islamic relations and the issues therein.

I was actually wondering if it was something more than that (I don't know much about American politics tbh). I read the article but I felt I was only getting a superficial view.

Originally Posted by random guy

Refrain from generalizing "everyones" view

Lol WTF? Context much? I wasn't serious dude...

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by Haak

I was actually wondering if it was something more than that (I don't know much about American politics tbh). I read the article but I felt I was only getting a superficial view.

I'm not an expert on CAIR's affairs, but perusing the news a bit I find that, aside from the usual racist fluff (let's put it straight that way), there are some concerns of CAIR's involvement with more questionable groups and its legitimacy as a civil rights advocacy organization.

It was born with some tenuous links to Hamas, though at the time Hamas wasn't such a power, and a major force for terrorism, as it is today. The FBI is also not shy about probing CAIR, so it sometimes has to defend itself before it could even defend the people it purports to advocate for. At the present, some have continually raised concerns in regards to sources of CAIR's funding (Saudi Arabia being a prime target). I do not know enough to offer my opinion either way, nor that this would necessarily substantially affects its integrity or not.

Some of the cases it raises its advocacy can be considered unwise, i.e. that it is defending genuine criminality based on spurious concerns of racial discrimination. This is a problem similarly faced by the NAACP in regards to their longtime advocacy of African American issues, but it's obviously more sensitive for CAIR and Muslims in the United States. CAIR regularly butt heads with all sorts of authorities in the United States, so some lingering resentment might come from that.

Some Muslims themselves also object to what they see as CAIR's obstinacy in defending more than they themselves would be willing to defend -- that some people really are threats and some groups and opinions really fundamentalist, and CAIR goes too far and ends up lumping ordinary Muslims with these kinds of individuals. In short, that CAIR doesn't represent them and their opinions.

Back to the basics, though: because CAIR is arguably the most prominent Muslim advocacy group in the United States, it is a prime target for far right hatedom.

~my 2 cents. Again, I am not an expert, and this represents a rather shallow opinion.

[Hasumi]

Originally Posted by Ledgem

It's possible that physical rehabilitation and a chiropractor can correct it, if not fully then at least partially, but it depends on the cause of the deformity. You mentioned that it has been three years since you had the deformity - did it develop on its own, or was there some trauma that induced it? Do you know what the cause is, or have any medical professionals told you anything about it? Is it just positional, or does it interfere with your normal activities and/or cause pain?

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

Sounds like scoliosis, or generally a spinal column deformity. Get a consult with an orthopedic surgeon and you'll likely need an x-ray.

I adopted a really bad posture around 3 years ago, before I knew it my back, shoulders, and neck were visibly deformed. I might get it checked up eventually but I was afraid I'd have to go through bracing, or worse--surgery.

[Xenio]

my english teacher is a buddhism follower and she say that even Einstein himself said that he just retold what buddhism already said, is it true?

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Xenio

my english teacher is a buddhism follower and she say that even Einstein himself said that he just retold what buddhism already said, is it true?

What part of buddhism did Einstein say?

[Ledgem]

Originally Posted by Detective-san

I adopted a really bad posture around 3 years ago, before I knew it my back, shoulders, and neck were visibly deformed. I might get it checked up eventually but I was afraid I'd have to go through bracing, or worse--surgery.

This applies to all medical issues: get them checked out, and don't wait too long. There are many issues that can be solved very easily if you catch them early enough. If you're afraid of a certain outcome, waiting around isn't going to change the diagnosis - if anything, it may become worse, and will require more extreme forms of treatment (if it can even be treated at that stage).

In your case, your posture isn't really affecting your daily living. Even if the doctor says that surgery is your only option (which I highly doubt it would be, given what you've said thus far), you don't have to undergo surgery. It's your choice: you can just stay as you are, if you really want. On the other hand, what if the solution is much more simple? You don't have anything to lose by getting it checked out.

[MeoTwister5]

I doubt he'll need surgery. A back brace will probably be enough.

[Xenio]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

What part of buddhism did Einstein say?

to be ectract, she said "all Einstein's discoveries and theory have already been said by buddhism and Einstein himself said that he just retold what buddhism said"

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by Xenio

to be ectract, she said all all Einstein's discoveries and theory have already been said by buddhism and Einstein himself said that he just retold what buddhism said

Your teacher is wrong.

There's a lot of "Eastern" philosophical thought that sounds roughly like something the scientists seem to be making a point on -- ex: the oneness of all things = gets reinterpreted by enthusiastic Buddhist follower as particle physics or something -- but these are stretching the interpretation of things far, far beyond their proper context.

Buddhist scholars certainly weren't working on the Theory of Relativity at any time in the religion's two thousand and five hundred years' history, and no major credible Buddhist authority have made such a claim. Nor did Einstein, so far as I know, ever claimed that he was just regurgitating Eastern "wisdom" at any point in his career.

As a test, you can try asking your teacher for the exact quotation of Einstein's statement of submission to the Wisdom of the East, for the exact relation between Relativity and the Wheel of Dharma, and if s/he cannot satisfactorily answer these queries, consider it an intemperate suggestion made by an overenthusiastic follower who has yet to appreciate the inherent humility and the necessary rejection of pride and passion within the Middle Way.

TL;DR: Meow.