I'm no software guru, but it doesnt make much sense to me to limit the software in such a sense. I think its up to the distros to configure their default desktop, be it gnome or kde or what have you to look and feel and react whatever way they want by default. Rather than just have gnome that acts a certain way and theres piss you can do about it. Why not have the ability to change and configure. The distros can decide what features they want used and ignored... and the users themselves if they're power users can decide that for themselves to an even further extent. Its always easier to have the ability and turn it on or off rather than not have the ability at all. If you look at it form the point of average joe... If the distro meets his needs he won't need m/any other features. It'll work out of the box and all will be well with the world... But in the case that 'average joe' needs one or two extra features.. does it really hurt to have the *ability* to enable that feature? Or if *average joe* isnt *average* at all but *super joe* he's not stuck using a desktop he doesnt like as much simply because it HAS the ability rather than just having the ability turned off by default on the desktop of his choice?
I'm going to have to exercise my right to disagree about WarioWare... I felt like I was just repeating myself over and over by the 2nd area. By the 4th or so I gave the controller to my friend and said "have fun, this is ass."
I will agree, however, that movie-quality graphics are not a requirement. Its nice to have the option, but its not necessary. I hate hearing these threads about how its becoming too expensive and too hard to code for games because the requirements of the system and making stunning graphics and stuff like that. I love that the PS3 and X360 *can* deliver those features... I just wish they'd make less use of them and spend more time on gameplay. My favorite games are still on the old NES, SNES, and Genesis systems... Stuff like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 3 and World Series Baseball and Breath of Fire II, Simons Quest, Metroid.. Megaman... You can't tell me its not possible to make games like that for the modern systems... Every game doesnt HAVE to take advantage of every hz of processing power in the box. Its up to the developers to come up with new and ingenious ways of making games fun and interesting, not up to the system manufacturers to pull new gimmicks out of their butts. The wiimote was a great idea and its fun for some games. So far the only games I've had any fun with are Wii Sports.. and its getting real old quick...
The Wiimote was a great idea and I think it should be incorperated into every future game system.. or at least some rendition of it... but it shouldn't be the sole reason to purchase the system... it should be used as a small part in games for fun or interesting uses... tests of skill or endurance or mini games or what have you..
And a poor education system isn't the crux of it. Admittedly, much of the US has a craptastic education system. If I have the money, my children will be attending private school... The level of learning and time spent with each student is much higher. There are many other factors, however...
1) Passing high school is by no means a free ticket to a better job. Why not get started earlier, building up your experience within a company, and taking the teaching they give you so you know your job better and by the time you would have graduated high school you're making a few extra bucks an hour?
2) A high school diploma these days is a JOKE. Whats it going to get you? A job as a receptionist? Oh thats right, many receptionists these days not require some sort of certification as well.. Yay, all that schooling for extra schooling to learn how to handle legal documents and answer phones. You have to look forward to another few years of schooling in either a certification program or a degree program to hope to get a job.
3) Lets move on to college.. Okay you stuck through 4 years of high school and got your diploma. Thats 4 years you didnt make much/any money. Then you stuck through 4-6 years of university where, again, you didn't make any/much money. Now you have your bachelors and no viable work experience... Guess what, a bachelors, again doesn't assure you a job! My bachelors won't get me jack for crap as far as a job goes. In fact, a few of the jobs I've applied for said that because of my bachelors I was OVER qualified and they could get someone else for less money.
4) Now we've wasted 8-10 years that we could have put toward working. Hey, even in retail that can pull you up to a nice salary position with management making 60-100k a year. Most people would be pretty happy with that. All it takes is time and a little ambition. How many hours is this person working a week? Probably 40-50. How many hours a week would the college graduate expect to work, earning less money thanks to less experience? Probably 40+ hours a week as well. Its not until you get your masters/doctorate that you start to become WORTH something, really. Then your weekly work hours start to drop and your wage goes up significantly because you're in the minority. Not anyone can take your spot for less pay and do it competently. But, you're going to have to spend an extra 2-6+ in a grad school, again making little to no money, in order to achieve that degree.
Is it worth it? For many, you bet it is! I'm pursuing my doctorate now, but I have a few years yet to go. I look forward to it every day that goes by. But higher education simply isn't for everyone. Some people hate it and they would like to or NEED to have money right now. Its near impossible to start a family while attending university unless your family is helping out BIG time... And not everyone has that comfort. Not everyone even has the money to strive for higher education alone, the reason they wanted to get into the work force early to begin with! It often takes 7-10 years of extra schooling just to firmly establish your worth in the job market after high school is over... and even then you can't be assured you'll have a job. Look how many Computer Science majors on Slashdot complain about not using their degree. You might go through all that end up in human resources or a beat cop or something else that you could have gotten straight out of high school.
Its not just the educational systems short-comings you have to blame for this. Its the way society runs. High schoolers would, for the most part, be a lot better off if they taught more work-skills types of classes beyond the average 'reading, writing, and 'rithmatic' that they learn how. High school and college serve better for social networking these days than enabling kids with the tools they'll need for the future.
...with the uninformed voter is that they're most likely to support the richest candidate.... or the one backed by donations from larger corporations. They have the money to put their name out there on signs, tv, newspapers, etc... I'm not what I'd consider and "uninformed voter" on most subjects, I do my homework before going to the polls... But there are always a few things I just don't know very much about, the smaller positions/issues, and I catch myself wanting to vote for the name I recognize. I know if I look for the name I recognize most, others are probably doing it too. A big problem with that is the candidate that has its name out there the most is often the worst candidate, making deals and giving in to big businesses for their support versus doing things "for the people"
Similar experience from an outsider here as well. I don't play the game. I used to get disgustingly addicted to RPG's when I was younger. I'm that sick bastard who not only wants to beat the game, but wants to max out his level and get all the best equipment in the game as well. I've put hundreds of hours into games I could have beaten in less than fifty. I know, therefore I haven't allowed myself to play WoW... as much as it *does* intrigue me. I only have two friends who play WoW... And all I can say is "WoW"... The first friend I knew through the internet. He was very talkative and spent lots of time touring the North America for both work and pleasure. He was a real interesting guy to talk to. Now he's lost his girlfriend and whenever I talk to him he's depressed because he hasn't even met a girl in like 2 years. Its hard to meet girls when you're stuck on a game. In fact, his only 'female interests' have been through the game. Now, I'm not one to laugh too much at meeting someone on a game. I met my girlfriend online and we've been together for over three years now... It does work sometimes, but you've gotta share more than just a game... Eventually theres gotta be more to talk about. My other friend was more on the personal level. We used to hang out and play golf at least 2x a week, we went to the gym together 4-5x a week for a long time. We also spent many weekends partying togeher or just doing guy stuff... xbox, sports, etc... His brother moved in with him and was an addict already. The guy was a complete loaf. Literally every time I was over he was in the same spot, game in front of him, smelling like he hadn't showered for a week. If he got up to pee the couch actually had an imprint of his filth surrounded by the food he left around him. Needless to say, he interested my friend in the game over a time and he began lightly playing. At first it wasn't that noticable.. He'd show up once or twice less to a get together.. or just show up late and leave early... and then we stopped having things to talk about because all that went on his life was work and WoW... he fell out of the loop with all of our groups of friends. Finally his brother moved out and he eventually moved out of his apartment with another friend of his. His friend was also an avid WoWer... so it only got worse. Lets just say this is/was one of my best friends and I've seen him 2x in the last 4 months. Its not for lack of trying.. If any of us call he doesnt answer his phone... He sleeps until 4pm and he's up all night playing until past sunrise. The only time he leaves the house is for work... The same for his roomate. Its sad really. Its sad to see people around me lose their life to a game. He went from a job hopper, doing everything he can to get to a bigger better job, looking out for his future, 2$ raise here, 2$ raise there.. trying to become a millionaire by the time he was 30... to literally being happy working at a warehouse for 8$ an hour because it pays the rent and he has less responsibility so he can spend more time playing WoW. Needless to say, its been pretty easy for me to stay away from that game.
Id find the research far more valuable if they had broken the services up based on their digital and GSM networks. I have ATT and when I had a digital phone its safe to say that I found them nothing short of terrific. Unless I was crawling through the hills or something I had almost full bars on my meter. I now have the GSM service, however, and with the same provider it'd be complimenting it to call it anything better than terrible. My reception wanes based on what room in the house im in, not only that... where I am in a given room. One spot will have almost full bars, the other spot will disconnect my calls... which happens quite often. Sometimes even when I do have a few bars or almost full bars the phone call is still choppy. The phone is new so I know its no problem there. I even returned the same phone for an unrelated defect and recieved a new one that had the same connectivity problems. I'm quite dissatisfied and I don't have the money to go network hopping from phone service to phone service, digital to GSM at a whim or carry two phones. Unfortunately almost all the new, fun to have phones are on the GSM service. I'm on a contract so I can't just drop my service, but maybe its time to start looking at Verizon when my service does end....
Wow... Nice to see our technology actually going into something important.. like ensuring my cup is always full of a frosty cold one... But you think I might get caught stealing cool glasses from various bars if they institute these mugs?!
If television offered free porn to kids who are smart enough to admit to being over 18, television might start being as important is the web is to today's youth:)
My goal weight is actually 180-200, but im one of those sick screwheads trying to put on muscle for weight. I was up to about 170 but once I cut fast food, beer, and soda from my deit I dropped to 149. After high school I quit working out for a while and my weight dropped like mad and my body fat percentage went way up. Even though I'm not happy that i'm losing overall weight while i'm trying to gain, I am happy that I'm cutting the fat. At 170 I didn't have the six pack and my arms, back, shoulders, neck, legs etc werent as shapely.
The weight may not sound like much but I'm only 5'6 so even at around 150 I'm told I look huge on my frame:)
If you don't mind me asking what your starting and goal weights were/are? I'm kind of curious although its really none of my business, i'll respect your wishes not to disclose the information if you choose.
I know my friend hasn't lost 40 pounds of water on the diet.
True, but Atkins does prescribe regular exercise as part of the diet and I'm guessing that people on the diet watch how much they take in. Exercise and limited calories will make anyone lose weight, the water weight is the most immediate and most easily recognizable, however. For example when I cycle creatine my weight jumps 10 to 15 lbs over the course of about a week or two from water weight alone.
You're certainly informed on the issue and although I don't agree with some/most of the diet, it does have some high points and will cause you to lose some weight if thats your overall goal. Atkins has, at least, improved the diet over the years to make up for its early short comings and it is possible to stay in decent health with the diet if you are wise enough to make sure you're getting proper fiber and varieties of food groups. I always say to eat a colorful plate. Good luck with the diet and I hope you don't suffer any damage to your bones or kidneys:)
Whoa, cowboy. Last I heard, the "conventional wisdom" has been that eating cholesterol and saturated fats raise your LDL, and that causes heart attacks and strokes. Now that studies are debunking that idea--and showing that dietary cholesterol does not equate to serum cholesterol--you're trying to skip straight from sat fats to strokes?
Plant-based proteins, like those found in soy, lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. This prevents the buildup of arterial plaque which leads to hardening of the arteries and heart disease, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The amount and type of protein in your diet also has an important impact on calcium absorption and excretion. Vegetable-protein diets enhance calcium retention in the body. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis and kidney problems. Interestingly, kidney disease is far less common in people who eat a vegetable-based diet than it is in people who eat an animal-based diet. By replacing animal protein with vegetable protein and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, like that found in olive and canola oils, you can avoid the pitfalls of the typical high-protein diet.
However, this type of protein and fat combination is not the healthiest. Animal proteins are loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat. Many people on these diets also experience an elevation in their LDL (bad) cholesterol when they remain on the diet for long periods. High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood clog arteries and is the chief culprit in heart disease, particularly heart attack and stroke. So while you may lose weight in the short run, you are putting your cardiovascular health in jeopardy in the long run.
Another reason weight loss is achieved on these high-protein diets, at least temporarily, is actually due to water loss. The increase in the amount of protein consumed, especially from meat and dairy products, raises the levels of uric acid and urea in the blood. These are toxic by-products of protein breakdown and metabolism. The body eliminates this uric acid and urea by pumping lots of water into the kidneys and urinary tract to help it flush out. However, a detrimental side effect of this diuretic response is the loss of essential minerals from the body, including calcium. The high intake of protein leaches calcium from the bones, which leads to osteoporosis.
The Atkins diet increases HDL, which protects against heart disease. My HDL's 65, what's yours?
Couldn't tell you. Never taken a test, myself. I can tell you my body fat has been cosisntantly 7-8% for the last 6 months though:) I'm a very active individual and I hit up the gym between 2-6 hours a day depending on the day and my schedule with only 2 days off a week. Its likely my HDL level is very comfortable:) Thanks for the concern, though:)
Read Atkins' book. Atkins dieters eat plenty of fiber, vegetables, and some fruits (I'm a raspberry fan myself). The donuts, white-flour bagels, and sugar bombs that are "prohibited" are not exactly health food, y'know
How about healthy cereals? Like Fiber One, 100% Bran, All-Bran, Raisin Bran etc? How about Rices, Wheat bread? I'm not super familiar with the vegetables and legumes allowed but i'm not sure if lentils and peas and lima, kidney, and baked beans would be allowed, or even refried beans. Broccoli ( which has thousands of health benefits along with spinach ) carrots, corn, lettuce... all that stuff... Over 65 million americans each year have digestive problems due to lack of proper fiber intake. I'm not saying its impossible to get proper fiber intake through the Atkins diet... just unlikely.
You're not supposed to go off the diet and start eating a bunch of sugar and flour again. You're supposed to add in moderate quantities of high-quality carbohydrate to find a maintenance level that you can sustain indefinitely. If you just drop Atkins and start in on the Cap'n Crunch, of course t
I just wanted to say you made a great post in the weight loss thread. I am studying the same field(s) as you and also thinking of taking a job at the local gym as a trainer to pay for the bills and a lil extra. Your post reminded me much of the post I made, myself, in the same thread. Nice to see someone who knows what they're talking about:)
As Raffaello pointed out there is a third choice, which is Protein, and it is generally not a good sign when your body has to resort to burning large amounts of protein for its energy. You see people at death camps with little or no musculature and such? That is the result of the body burning muscle and protein.
And peeing like a "russian race horse" as you say is not the sign of a healthy individual at all. I'd venture a guess as to say its more healthy than never peeing at all... But if you pee too often you're washing your body of the electrolytes that it needs. Many athletes who have over ( or hypo ) hydrated have died during activity from a lack of electrolytes due to peeing them all out. It hits hard and it hits fast. If you're peeing neon yellow.. you've got problems and if you're peeing urine that could pass for water its so clear... thats not healthy. You want a light yellow tint to the urine and nothing more. THAT is the sign of proper hydration.
Before you attack people like an ass blindly following the flag of Atkins army, do a little research of your own.
A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes.
Still happy that you're pissing like a race horse? Good.
By the way, Atkins had a heart problem and was rushed to the hospital not too long ago. Go team go. Lead your team to an early grave... attaboy!
High protein deits do not represent nutritionally balanced eating and may prove harmful to *some* dieters.
It is true that HDL levels increase and LDL levels decrease, but the foods themselves are very high in cholesterol and saturated fats, which are now established as the major reasons for heart attacks and strokes.
The biggest problem I see with high protein diets, however, is the resulting loss of calcium to your bones which may lead to osteoperosis. Protien overload forces your kidneys to try to eliminate large amounts of urea, which is a by-product of protein metabolism.
Many high protien diets, including Atkins prohibit foods which are known to lower the risks associated with heart disease and cancers.
It is true that for a sedentary person high protein diets will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately when you go off the diet the weight comes back very rapidly. Almost no working "rapid weight loss" diets are meant to be on indefinately... Just long enough to lower you near your desired weight, then the diet is altered to match proper caloric intake so the individual's weight remains where desired. Even the ever popular calorie-restrictive diets are meant to be on in cycles so you lose the weight at a healthy speed while your body recouperates from the stress you're putting on it. Most any rapid weight loss diet will eventually cause harm by robbing you of nutrients you may need or stressing your body with too many of certain types of food. The human body was built for diversity. (Although there is some research stating certain people process certain types of foods [lipids, protiens, carbs] better than others)
A real diet is more of a life style change, you eat healthier and get proper exercise and eventually the weight will go and the body will remain healthy without having to count every calorie you take in. Altering your lifestyle will cause the weight to stay down.
Now if you're an active individual, however, you need the energy that carbohydrates give you, especially if you compete or plan to compete in something, even at a low level for fun. Your body burns 23 calories for every 100 calories of carbohydrate it digets, but only 3 calories for every 100 fat calories... Carbohydrate is the PREFERRED fuel of the body. There are lots of other reasons to avoid high protien diets, including the fact that they deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate.
A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes. If you're going to use bodybuilders as an example, bodybuilders may look great but they're generally not super healthy... They're meant to look immaculate for a few short years of their lives and disregard the problems it may cause. Not to say they're less healthy than your average, overweight american or anything. They put tremendous stress on their bodies to do the awesome things they can do and it eventually takes its toll for many of them who don't slow down. People who do suppliment with protein generally only intake 20-60 grams a day or so and watch their diet. These individuals are usually involved with the gym and or activities where their bodies make use of the protien rather than letting it sit there for the body to make a futile attempt to get rid of as you keep cramming more down it.
Unfortuantely, there is little you can do at the workplace without looking like a crackpot unless your employer offers facilities to do so. I would highly suggest lowering or removing completely the alcohol from the diet as it is just empty calories ( I drank more than almost anyone I knew in high school so don't tell me its not possible, I got into personal training and rearranged my life style, my friends all gained 40+ lbs. after highschool and i dropped 20 by simply dropping soda and alcohol from m
High protein deits do nto represent nutritionally balanced eating and may prove harmful to *some* dieters. It is true that HDL levels increase and LDL levels decrease, but the foods themselves are very high in cholesterol and saturated fats, which are now established as the major reasons for heart attacks and strokes.
The biggest problem I see with high protein diets, however, is the resulting loss of calcium to your bones which may lead to osteoperosis. Protien overload forces your kidneys to try to eliminat large amounts of urea, which is a by-product of protein metabolism.
Many high protien diets, including Atkins prohibit foods which are known to lower the risks associated with heart disease and cancers.
It is true that for a sedentary person high protein diets will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately when you go off the diet the weight comes back very rapidly. Almost no working "rapid weight loss" diets are meant to be on indefinately... just long enough to lower you near your desired weight, then the diet is altered to match proper caloric intake so the individual's weight remains where desired. Even the ever popular calorie-restrictive diets are meant to be on in cycles so you lose the weight at a healthy speed while your body recouperates from the stress you're putting on it. Most any rapid weight loss diet will eventually cause harm by robbing you of nutrients you may need or stressing your body with too many of certain types of food. The human body was built for diversity. A real diet is more of a life style change, you eat healthier and get proper exercise and eventually the weight will go and the body will remain healthy without having to count every calorie you take in. Altering your lifestyle will cause the weight to stay down.
Now if you're an active individual, however, you need the energy that carbohydrates give you, especially if you compete or plan to compete in something, even at a low level for fun. Your body burns 23 calories for every 100 calories of carbohydrate it digets, but only 3 calories for every 100 fat calories... Carbohydrate is the PREFERRED fuel of the body.
There are lots of other reasons to avoid high protien diets, including the fact that they deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate. A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes.
If you're going to use bodybuilders as an example, bodybuilders may look great but they're generally not super healthy... They're meant to look immaculate for a few short years of their lives and disregard the problems it may cause. Not to say they're less healthy than your average, overweight american or anything. They put tremendous stress on their bodies to do the awesome things they can do and it eventually takes its toll for many of them who don't slow down. People who do suppliment with protien generally only intake 20-60 grams a day or so and watch their diet. These individuals are usually involved with the gym and or activities where their bodies make use of the protien rather than letting it sit there for the body to make a futile attempt to get rid of as you keep cramming more down it.
Unfortuantely, there is little you can do at the workplace without looking like a crackpot unless your employer offers facilities to do so. I would highly suggest lowering or removing completely the alcohol from the diet as it is just empty calories ( I drank more than almost anyone I knew in high school so don't tell me its not possible, I got into personal training and rearranged my life style, my friends all gained 40+ lbs. after highschool and i dropped 20 by simply dropping soda and alcohol from my system ) and also high sugar drinks like sodas or juices that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup... read the label.. the information is conveniently placed on there.
Now the exercise issue. We've
All I have needed thus far in college is some good toilet paper, duct tape, and a small white hand towel.
With those things you can go anywhere in life.
Slashdot Mirror
I would have found "Organism Survives Without Orgasm" at least a hundred times more entertaining :)
I'm no software guru, but it doesnt make much sense to me to limit the software in such a sense. I think its up to the distros to configure their default desktop, be it gnome or kde or what have you to look and feel and react whatever way they want by default. Rather than just have gnome that acts a certain way and theres piss you can do about it. Why not have the ability to change and configure. The distros can decide what features they want used and ignored... and the users themselves if they're power users can decide that for themselves to an even further extent. Its always easier to have the ability and turn it on or off rather than not have the ability at all. If you look at it form the point of average joe... If the distro meets his needs he won't need m/any other features. It'll work out of the box and all will be well with the world... But in the case that 'average joe' needs one or two extra features.. does it really hurt to have the *ability* to enable that feature? Or if *average joe* isnt *average* at all but *super joe* he's not stuck using a desktop he doesnt like as much simply because it HAS the ability rather than just having the ability turned off by default on the desktop of his choice?
I'm going to have to exercise my right to disagree about WarioWare... I felt like I was just repeating myself over and over by the 2nd area. By the 4th or so I gave the controller to my friend and said "have fun, this is ass."
I will agree, however, that movie-quality graphics are not a requirement. Its nice to have the option, but its not necessary. I hate hearing these threads about how its becoming too expensive and too hard to code for games because the requirements of the system and making stunning graphics and stuff like that. I love that the PS3 and X360 *can* deliver those features... I just wish they'd make less use of them and spend more time on gameplay. My favorite games are still on the old NES, SNES, and Genesis systems... Stuff like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 3 and World Series Baseball and Breath of Fire II, Simons Quest, Metroid.. Megaman... You can't tell me its not possible to make games like that for the modern systems... Every game doesnt HAVE to take advantage of every hz of processing power in the box. Its up to the developers to come up with new and ingenious ways of making games fun and interesting, not up to the system manufacturers to pull new gimmicks out of their butts. The wiimote was a great idea and its fun for some games. So far the only games I've had any fun with are Wii Sports.. and its getting real old quick...
The Wiimote was a great idea and I think it should be incorperated into every future game system.. or at least some rendition of it... but it shouldn't be the sole reason to purchase the system... it should be used as a small part in games for fun or interesting uses... tests of skill or endurance or mini games or what have you..
Thats just my 2c, take it or leave it.
Wasn't it well established in an open letter that open source is dangerous and could derail the European economy? :)
And a poor education system isn't the crux of it. Admittedly, much of the US has a craptastic education system. If I have the money, my children will be attending private school... The level of learning and time spent with each student is much higher. There are many other factors, however...
1) Passing high school is by no means a free ticket to a better job. Why not get started earlier, building up your experience within a company, and taking the teaching they give you so you know your job better and by the time you would have graduated high school you're making a few extra bucks an hour?
2) A high school diploma these days is a JOKE. Whats it going to get you? A job as a receptionist? Oh thats right, many receptionists these days not require some sort of certification as well.. Yay, all that schooling for extra schooling to learn how to handle legal documents and answer phones. You have to look forward to another few years of schooling in either a certification program or a degree program to hope to get a job.
3) Lets move on to college.. Okay you stuck through 4 years of high school and got your diploma. Thats 4 years you didnt make much/any money. Then you stuck through 4-6 years of university where, again, you didn't make any/much money. Now you have your bachelors and no viable work experience... Guess what, a bachelors, again doesn't assure you a job! My bachelors won't get me jack for crap as far as a job goes. In fact, a few of the jobs I've applied for said that because of my bachelors I was OVER qualified and they could get someone else for less money.
4) Now we've wasted 8-10 years that we could have put toward working. Hey, even in retail that can pull you up to a nice salary position with management making 60-100k a year. Most people would be pretty happy with that. All it takes is time and a little ambition. How many hours is this person working a week? Probably 40-50. How many hours a week would the college graduate expect to work, earning less money thanks to less experience? Probably 40+ hours a week as well. Its not until you get your masters/doctorate that you start to become WORTH something, really. Then your weekly work hours start to drop and your wage goes up significantly because you're in the minority. Not anyone can take your spot for less pay and do it competently. But, you're going to have to spend an extra 2-6+ in a grad school, again making little to no money, in order to achieve that degree.
Is it worth it? For many, you bet it is! I'm pursuing my doctorate now, but I have a few years yet to go. I look forward to it every day that goes by. But higher education simply isn't for everyone. Some people hate it and they would like to or NEED to have money right now. Its near impossible to start a family while attending university unless your family is helping out BIG time... And not everyone has that comfort. Not everyone even has the money to strive for higher education alone, the reason they wanted to get into the work force early to begin with! It often takes 7-10 years of extra schooling just to firmly establish your worth in the job market after high school is over... and even then you can't be assured you'll have a job. Look how many Computer Science majors on Slashdot complain about not using their degree. You might go through all that end up in human resources or a beat cop or something else that you could have gotten straight out of high school.
Its not just the educational systems short-comings you have to blame for this. Its the way society runs. High schoolers would, for the most part, be a lot better off if they taught more work-skills types of classes beyond the average 'reading, writing, and 'rithmatic' that they learn how. High school and college serve better for social networking these days than enabling kids with the tools they'll need for the future.
...with the uninformed voter is that they're most likely to support the richest candidate.... or the one backed by donations from larger corporations. They have the money to put their name out there on signs, tv, newspapers, etc... I'm not what I'd consider and "uninformed voter" on most subjects, I do my homework before going to the polls... But there are always a few things I just don't know very much about, the smaller positions/issues, and I catch myself wanting to vote for the name I recognize. I know if I look for the name I recognize most, others are probably doing it too. A big problem with that is the candidate that has its name out there the most is often the worst candidate, making deals and giving in to big businesses for their support versus doing things "for the people"
Similar experience from an outsider here as well. I don't play the game. I used to get disgustingly addicted to RPG's when I was younger. I'm that sick bastard who not only wants to beat the game, but wants to max out his level and get all the best equipment in the game as well. I've put hundreds of hours into games I could have beaten in less than fifty. I know, therefore I haven't allowed myself to play WoW... as much as it *does* intrigue me. I only have two friends who play WoW... And all I can say is "WoW"... The first friend I knew through the internet. He was very talkative and spent lots of time touring the North America for both work and pleasure. He was a real interesting guy to talk to. Now he's lost his girlfriend and whenever I talk to him he's depressed because he hasn't even met a girl in like 2 years. Its hard to meet girls when you're stuck on a game. In fact, his only 'female interests' have been through the game. Now, I'm not one to laugh too much at meeting someone on a game. I met my girlfriend online and we've been together for over three years now... It does work sometimes, but you've gotta share more than just a game... Eventually theres gotta be more to talk about. My other friend was more on the personal level. We used to hang out and play golf at least 2x a week, we went to the gym together 4-5x a week for a long time. We also spent many weekends partying togeher or just doing guy stuff... xbox, sports, etc... His brother moved in with him and was an addict already. The guy was a complete loaf. Literally every time I was over he was in the same spot, game in front of him, smelling like he hadn't showered for a week. If he got up to pee the couch actually had an imprint of his filth surrounded by the food he left around him. Needless to say, he interested my friend in the game over a time and he began lightly playing. At first it wasn't that noticable.. He'd show up once or twice less to a get together.. or just show up late and leave early... and then we stopped having things to talk about because all that went on his life was work and WoW... he fell out of the loop with all of our groups of friends. Finally his brother moved out and he eventually moved out of his apartment with another friend of his. His friend was also an avid WoWer... so it only got worse. Lets just say this is/was one of my best friends and I've seen him 2x in the last 4 months. Its not for lack of trying.. If any of us call he doesnt answer his phone... He sleeps until 4pm and he's up all night playing until past sunrise. The only time he leaves the house is for work... The same for his roomate. Its sad really. Its sad to see people around me lose their life to a game. He went from a job hopper, doing everything he can to get to a bigger better job, looking out for his future, 2$ raise here, 2$ raise there.. trying to become a millionaire by the time he was 30... to literally being happy working at a warehouse for 8$ an hour because it pays the rent and he has less responsibility so he can spend more time playing WoW. Needless to say, its been pretty easy for me to stay away from that game.
Id find the research far more valuable if they had broken the services up based on their digital and GSM networks. I have ATT and when I had a digital phone its safe to say that I found them nothing short of terrific. Unless I was crawling through the hills or something I had almost full bars on my meter. I now have the GSM service, however, and with the same provider it'd be complimenting it to call it anything better than terrible. My reception wanes based on what room in the house im in, not only that... where I am in a given room. One spot will have almost full bars, the other spot will disconnect my calls... which happens quite often. Sometimes even when I do have a few bars or almost full bars the phone call is still choppy. The phone is new so I know its no problem there. I even returned the same phone for an unrelated defect and recieved a new one that had the same connectivity problems. I'm quite dissatisfied and I don't have the money to go network hopping from phone service to phone service, digital to GSM at a whim or carry two phones. Unfortunately almost all the new, fun to have phones are on the GSM service. I'm on a contract so I can't just drop my service, but maybe its time to start looking at Verizon when my service does end....
Wow... Nice to see our technology actually going into something important.. like ensuring my cup is always full of a frosty cold one... But you think I might get caught stealing cool glasses from various bars if they institute these mugs?!
This could mean trouble...
If television offered free porn to kids who are smart enough to admit to being over 18, television might start being as important is the web is to today's youth :)
Congratulations, I wish you well.
:)
:)
My goal weight is actually 180-200, but im one of those sick screwheads trying to put on muscle for weight. I was up to about 170 but once I cut fast food, beer, and soda from my deit I dropped to 149. After high school I quit working out for a while and my weight dropped like mad and my body fat percentage went way up. Even though I'm not happy that i'm losing overall weight while i'm trying to gain, I am happy that I'm cutting the fat. At 170 I didn't have the six pack and my arms, back, shoulders, neck, legs etc werent as shapely.
The weight may not sound like much but I'm only 5'6 so even at around 150 I'm told I look huge on my frame
Once again, congrats and keep it up
If you don't mind me asking what your starting and goal weights were/are? I'm kind of curious although its really none of my business, i'll respect your wishes not to disclose the information if you choose.
:)
I know my friend hasn't lost 40 pounds of water on the diet.
True, but Atkins does prescribe regular exercise as part of the diet and I'm guessing that people on the diet watch how much they take in. Exercise and limited calories will make anyone lose weight, the water weight is the most immediate and most easily recognizable, however. For example when I cycle creatine my weight jumps 10 to 15 lbs over the course of about a week or two from water weight alone.
You're certainly informed on the issue and although I don't agree with some/most of the diet, it does have some high points and will cause you to lose some weight if thats your overall goal. Atkins has, at least, improved the diet over the years to make up for its early short comings and it is possible to stay in decent health with the diet if you are wise enough to make sure you're getting proper fiber and varieties of food groups. I always say to eat a colorful plate. Good luck with the diet and I hope you don't suffer any damage to your bones or kidneys
Good thing I can't stand cheerios, bleh :)
Thanks for the info though, i wasnt aware.
okay this is crap, i know i hit the preview button but somehow it submitted anyways and now i see that i forgot to close my italics *sigh*
Whoa, cowboy. Last I heard, the "conventional wisdom" has been that eating cholesterol and saturated fats raise your LDL, and that causes heart attacks and strokes. Now that studies are debunking that idea--and showing that dietary cholesterol does not equate to serum cholesterol--you're trying to skip straight from sat fats to strokes?
:) I'm a very active individual and I hit up the gym between 2-6 hours a day depending on the day and my schedule with only 2 days off a week. Its likely my HDL level is very comfortable :) Thanks for the concern, though :)
Plant-based proteins, like those found in soy, lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. This prevents the buildup of arterial plaque which leads to hardening of the arteries and heart disease, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The amount and type of protein in your diet also has an important impact on calcium absorption and excretion. Vegetable-protein diets enhance calcium retention in the body. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis and kidney problems. Interestingly, kidney disease is far less common in people who eat a vegetable-based diet than it is in people who eat an animal-based diet. By replacing animal protein with vegetable protein and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, like that found in olive and canola oils, you can avoid the pitfalls of the typical high-protein diet.
However, this type of protein and fat combination is not the healthiest. Animal proteins are loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat. Many people on these diets also experience an elevation in their LDL (bad) cholesterol when they remain on the diet for long periods. High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood clog arteries and is the chief culprit in heart disease, particularly heart attack and stroke. So while you may lose weight in the short run, you are putting your cardiovascular health in jeopardy in the long run.
Another reason weight loss is achieved on these high-protein diets, at least temporarily, is actually due to water loss. The increase in the amount of protein consumed, especially from meat and dairy products, raises the levels of uric acid and urea in the blood. These are toxic by-products of protein breakdown and metabolism. The body eliminates this uric acid and urea by pumping lots of water into the kidneys and urinary tract to help it flush out. However, a detrimental side effect of this diuretic response is the loss of essential minerals from the body, including calcium. The high intake of protein leaches calcium from the bones, which leads to osteoporosis.
The Atkins diet increases HDL, which protects against heart disease. My HDL's 65, what's yours?
Couldn't tell you. Never taken a test, myself. I can tell you my body fat has been cosisntantly 7-8% for the last 6 months though
Read Atkins' book. Atkins dieters eat plenty of fiber, vegetables, and some fruits (I'm a raspberry fan myself). The donuts, white-flour bagels, and sugar bombs that are "prohibited" are not exactly health food, y'know
How about healthy cereals? Like Fiber One, 100% Bran, All-Bran, Raisin Bran etc? How about Rices, Wheat bread? I'm not super familiar with the vegetables and legumes allowed but i'm not sure if lentils and peas and lima, kidney, and baked beans would be allowed, or even refried beans. Broccoli ( which has thousands of health benefits along with spinach ) carrots, corn, lettuce... all that stuff... Over 65 million americans each year have digestive problems due to lack of proper fiber intake. I'm not saying its impossible to get proper fiber intake through the Atkins diet... just unlikely.
You're not supposed to go off the diet and start eating a bunch of sugar and flour again. You're supposed to add in moderate quantities of high-quality carbohydrate to find a maintenance level that you can sustain indefinitely. If you just drop Atkins and start in on the Cap'n Crunch, of course t
I just wanted to say you made a great post in the weight loss thread. I am studying the same field(s) as you and also thinking of taking a job at the local gym as a trainer to pay for the bills and a lil extra. Your post reminded me much of the post I made, myself, in the same thread. Nice to see someone who knows what they're talking about :)
As Raffaello pointed out there is a third choice, which is Protein, and it is generally not a good sign when your body has to resort to burning large amounts of protein for its energy. You see people at death camps with little or no musculature and such? That is the result of the body burning muscle and protein.
And peeing like a "russian race horse" as you say is not the sign of a healthy individual at all. I'd venture a guess as to say its more healthy than never peeing at all... But if you pee too often you're washing your body of the electrolytes that it needs. Many athletes who have over ( or hypo ) hydrated have died during activity from a lack of electrolytes due to peeing them all out. It hits hard and it hits fast. If you're peeing neon yellow.. you've got problems and if you're peeing urine that could pass for water its so clear... thats not healthy. You want a light yellow tint to the urine and nothing more. THAT is the sign of proper hydration.
Before you attack people like an ass blindly following the flag of Atkins army, do a little research of your own.
A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes.
Still happy that you're pissing like a race horse? Good.
By the way, Atkins had a heart problem and was rushed to the hospital not too long ago. Go team go. Lead your team to an early grave... attaboy!
High protein deits do not represent nutritionally balanced eating and may prove harmful to *some* dieters.
It is true that HDL levels increase and LDL levels decrease, but the foods themselves are very high in cholesterol and saturated fats, which are now established as the major reasons for heart attacks and strokes.
The biggest problem I see with high protein diets, however, is the resulting loss of calcium to your bones which may lead to osteoperosis. Protien overload forces your kidneys to try to eliminate large amounts of urea, which is a by-product of protein metabolism.
Many high protien diets, including Atkins prohibit foods which are known to lower the risks associated with heart disease and cancers.
It is true that for a sedentary person high protein diets will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately when you go off the diet the weight comes back very rapidly. Almost no working "rapid weight loss" diets are meant to be on indefinately... Just long enough to lower you near your desired weight, then the diet is altered to match proper caloric intake so the individual's weight remains where desired. Even the ever popular calorie-restrictive diets are meant to be on in cycles so you lose the weight at a healthy speed while your body recouperates from the stress you're putting on it. Most any rapid weight loss diet will eventually cause harm by robbing you of nutrients you may need or stressing your body with too many of certain types of food. The human body was built for diversity. (Although there is some research stating certain people process certain types of foods [lipids, protiens, carbs] better than others)
A real diet is more of a life style change, you eat healthier and get proper exercise and eventually the weight will go and the body will remain healthy without having to count every calorie you take in. Altering your lifestyle will cause the weight to stay down.
Now if you're an active individual, however, you need the energy that carbohydrates give you, especially if you compete or plan to compete in something, even at a low level for fun. Your body burns 23 calories for every 100 calories of carbohydrate it digets, but only 3 calories for every 100 fat calories... Carbohydrate is the PREFERRED fuel of the body. There are lots of other reasons to avoid high protien diets, including the fact that they deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate.
A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes. If you're going to use bodybuilders as an example, bodybuilders may look great but they're generally not super healthy... They're meant to look immaculate for a few short years of their lives and disregard the problems it may cause. Not to say they're less healthy than your average, overweight american or anything. They put tremendous stress on their bodies to do the awesome things they can do and it eventually takes its toll for many of them who don't slow down. People who do suppliment with protein generally only intake 20-60 grams a day or so and watch their diet. These individuals are usually involved with the gym and or activities where their bodies make use of the protien rather than letting it sit there for the body to make a futile attempt to get rid of as you keep cramming more down it.
Unfortuantely, there is little you can do at the workplace without looking like a crackpot unless your employer offers facilities to do so. I would highly suggest lowering or removing completely the alcohol from the diet as it is just empty calories ( I drank more than almost anyone I knew in high school so don't tell me its not possible, I got into personal training and rearranged my life style, my friends all gained 40+ lbs. after highschool and i dropped 20 by simply dropping soda and alcohol from m
High protein deits do nto represent nutritionally balanced eating and may prove harmful to *some* dieters. It is true that HDL levels increase and LDL levels decrease, but the foods themselves are very high in cholesterol and saturated fats, which are now established as the major reasons for heart attacks and strokes. The biggest problem I see with high protein diets, however, is the resulting loss of calcium to your bones which may lead to osteoperosis. Protien overload forces your kidneys to try to eliminat large amounts of urea, which is a by-product of protein metabolism. Many high protien diets, including Atkins prohibit foods which are known to lower the risks associated with heart disease and cancers. It is true that for a sedentary person high protein diets will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately when you go off the diet the weight comes back very rapidly. Almost no working "rapid weight loss" diets are meant to be on indefinately... just long enough to lower you near your desired weight, then the diet is altered to match proper caloric intake so the individual's weight remains where desired. Even the ever popular calorie-restrictive diets are meant to be on in cycles so you lose the weight at a healthy speed while your body recouperates from the stress you're putting on it. Most any rapid weight loss diet will eventually cause harm by robbing you of nutrients you may need or stressing your body with too many of certain types of food. The human body was built for diversity. A real diet is more of a life style change, you eat healthier and get proper exercise and eventually the weight will go and the body will remain healthy without having to count every calorie you take in. Altering your lifestyle will cause the weight to stay down. Now if you're an active individual, however, you need the energy that carbohydrates give you, especially if you compete or plan to compete in something, even at a low level for fun. Your body burns 23 calories for every 100 calories of carbohydrate it digets, but only 3 calories for every 100 fat calories... Carbohydrate is the PREFERRED fuel of the body. There are lots of other reasons to avoid high protien diets, including the fact that they deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate. A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes. If you're going to use bodybuilders as an example, bodybuilders may look great but they're generally not super healthy... They're meant to look immaculate for a few short years of their lives and disregard the problems it may cause. Not to say they're less healthy than your average, overweight american or anything. They put tremendous stress on their bodies to do the awesome things they can do and it eventually takes its toll for many of them who don't slow down. People who do suppliment with protien generally only intake 20-60 grams a day or so and watch their diet. These individuals are usually involved with the gym and or activities where their bodies make use of the protien rather than letting it sit there for the body to make a futile attempt to get rid of as you keep cramming more down it. Unfortuantely, there is little you can do at the workplace without looking like a crackpot unless your employer offers facilities to do so. I would highly suggest lowering or removing completely the alcohol from the diet as it is just empty calories ( I drank more than almost anyone I knew in high school so don't tell me its not possible, I got into personal training and rearranged my life style, my friends all gained 40+ lbs. after highschool and i dropped 20 by simply dropping soda and alcohol from my system ) and also high sugar drinks like sodas or juices that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup... read the label.. the information is conveniently placed on there. Now the exercise issue. We've
All I have needed thus far in college is some good toilet paper, duct tape, and a small white hand towel. With those things you can go anywhere in life.