Tracking Earth's Future via Current Events, etc.

[SoulReaver]

What?! Since when is being a Greenpeace supporter the same as being a communist... Damn, I'll wave that flag proudly!

you've just been flagged as Communist©

[SoulReaver]

just don't use the maple syrup made from my parent's former tree/yard.. it might be a bit soapy.
Tree was there for what we guessed was at least 100 or 150 years (thereabouts), and since we moved onto the property after its roots had already broken into the septic system, etc., well, we had quite an interesting site to see on rainy days.

PS--that was back in the 1960's before EPA regulations became commonplace in the USA.

We're supposed to be (also) looking at the current and future situation(s) of things..
Scientists and global warmists are paranoid the earth will overheat, dry up and turn into another Mars (dead planet.. tho, they keep frantically searching for some form of life and water sources on Mars..).
Climate change is the earth altering its environment from one location to another..okay, not a problem in adapting. Global warming mostly involves icecaps melting everywhere, regardless of how the earth is shifting weather wise -- problem--oceans will rise causing coastal regions everywhere to flood out of existence.. Al Gore's plea is to FLEE to higher ground! So, if that is true, why aren't the gov't/coastal folks moving to higher grounds..?

Hurricane Sandy was a STORM that flooded the USA east coast. It wasn't because the oceans rose and stayed at a higher level since then..! Floods occurring within the continental USA are from STORMS dropping water from the skies above.. NOT from the oceans beside us..!


Then your area has been especially *blessed*.

Maybe where you are -- people respect the land a bit better, because their ancestors have been there for centuries. However, on this side of the Atlantic, for decades, it seems that nearly every golf course I've ever known has selfishly consumed tons and tons of water -- even when drought restrictions were being enforced. It seems there is almost always a double standard applied to golf courses vs. residential property owners. The wealthier golfers just can't part with their lushious greens, while the rest of us watch our water supplies dwindle.

On this side of the pond, unless one is a Native American with strong ties or adheres to such strong ties to respecting nature's natural resources, (some) folks tend to ignore the consequences of their actions, because life has turned into a
"me, me, ME" world regardless of what occurs. Streets get trashed and resources contaminated. It's no longer limited to city boundaries. The city folks who visit the country trash the countryside. Then, the residents get cranky from cleaning up other people's trash all the time and apathy sets in, so that the country ends up with trash dumped into woodsy areas, etc. It's really disgusting. And some of the younger generation just don't bother cleaning up their garbage, because they don't clean up their own yards and trashing someone else's property is the norm to them. It doesn't matter how much the town(s) tries to encourage clean-looking streets and yards, and especially if the winds pick up and blows the trash out all over everywhere, mostly no one bothers to touch it, unless they are forced into civic duty (as part of their jail/penalty payout period).

In more serious scenarios, The EPA steps in and starts enforcing *waste management* rules, and then nearly everyone starts complaining. Well, if they'd adhere to taking care of the environment they all live within, they might not have to feel so regulated. Our societies are getting literally sick from the environment they are living in. In recent years, it seems that Water here just can't replenish purifying itself naturally enough for people to not get sick. And "God-forbid" about breathing the air from someone who was deathly ill.. within a day or two, whatever that other person had, will surely follow the person after them. ..and speaking of ill air---I cringe when hearing about using outdoor potties (that includes the historical ones before indoor plumbing came into use).. Not the healthiest place to breathe air in..!

I can go maybe 4 days without feeding some of my garden plants in 80-90 degree (F) temps. After that, they wilt or start drying up. Triple digit temps kill anything within a day or 2. The soil simply cannot hold the water for plants that can survive moist soils for 7 days in lower temps without any watering. Most of our local farmers' crops died out during the severe, late 1990's--2001 (thereabouts time frame) drought because they relied on the sky for watering the crops. Most farmers who couldn't afford in-ground pipe or irrigation drip systems, lost over half of their veggies and then sold the land as real estate for industries, or whoever else to move in, instead. So, no the land here cannot survive triple digit (F) heat without light rainfall (maybe 15 minutes if even that) for more than 3 or 4 days comfortably. Even once a week to heavily saturate the soil for a good solid hour or so might be helpful. But that time, our drought lasted nearly 2 months without any rainfall whatsoever. Crops died. Famine of sorts resulted -- in poor crop/nutrient output on a local basis. Foods/Veggies had to come in from other locations that had it in higher abundance.
Even TPTB admitted that *not* much could survive the triple digit heat stroke our region was suffering from during that time frame. BTW, ever see pics of the arid southwestern USA..? That's what the east coast USA was turning into.. Desert -- without the cactii.. just dead wilderness.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has permitted research in creating drought resistant crops, which is now known as GE or GMO tampering with the DNA of the food supplies vs. insect world in combination with a lack of water. Within a short decade or so, the insects/bugs have adapted and outsmarted the scientists creating these amazing wonders and so everything is back to square one on the "we're in serious trouble if famines/floods continue" mode. No happy middle ground.

It's late, and I lost whatever I typed up before, so, in short -- it was the County/States who approved of the soapy (grey rinse) water during our severe drought season(s) (probably with the blessings of the EPA, too). Mostly to make the ground moist as much as possible to prevent fires from spreading, more than for keeping the lawns green and trees happy. Crops were another issue altogether.

and?

[SGalisa]

and?

AND..

With interest in traveling into beyond earth's little sphere and possibly colonizing other planets, there is going to be a need to work with the water we've got (carry with us) than rely on some dried up planet to support our life's systems. I keep reading (mostly NASA's speculative) reports about how water *USED TO EXIST* on Mars or even on Earth's own Moon in probably great abundance, like thousands or millions of years/generations ago. Well, that's nice, but we're talking about the here and now (hmmm, current timeline), and if water actually is buried in the rocks over there, which will require extensive --some sort of engineering creativity to siphon it out-- it'll be a while before any human or animal drinks, bathes, or cleans anything with water in great abundance.. that's like saying "duhhhh!" ..it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Not sure how to squeeze water from rocks, but back on earth, news reports are circulating that the process of fracking is consuming much of our water supplies, so that is adding stress to the environment being able to replenish fresher water as quickly as it is being needed. Putting dozens and dozens of fires out is also consuming much water.. which is another reason why the west/midwest USA is drying up faster than it had been 40 years ago. So, the questions remain as to what is the solutions..?
(okay, start building those desalination plants -- and hurry before any *water wars* start..)


There were recent news articles about people shouldn't live in forests that are prone to catch fire frequently (Colorado had most of its state forestry zones consumed in fires this year, alone). What sparked that idea was that insurance companies don't want to pay out fire insurance any more in fire prone zones.. sounds like the same reasoning for major flood zones, too. Tornado zones haven't been addressed yet, except for building *safety shelters* during the storms.. So, where should people and animals live --idealistically speaking? There is no quick answer.

With my luck (or most of my family's *luck* experiences), place my/our humble abode in a tornado zone --and mostly underground-- and an earthquake would probably strike, or some entropy would occur causing the foundation to split and the whole house to flood..!
any other brilliant ideas? thought of living on the space station, but aside from having to live with recycling one's own water and drinking it.. (yuck!), giant solar flares might hit that direction or a meteor might strike the place..

[mad_gater]

just don't use the maple syrup made from my parent's former tree/yard.. it might be a bit soapy.
Tree was there for what we guessed was at least 100 or 150 years (thereabouts), and since we moved onto the property after its roots had already broken into the septic system, etc., well, we had quite an interesting site to see on rainy days.

PS--that was back in the 1960's before EPA regulations became commonplace in the USA.



We're supposed to be (also) looking at the current and future situation(s) of things..
Scientists and global warmists are paranoid the earth will overheat, dry up and turn into another Mars (dead planet.. tho, they keep frantically searching for some form of life and water sources on Mars..).
Climate change is the earth altering its environment from one location to another..okay, not a problem in adapting. Global warming mostly involves icecaps melting everywhere, regardless of how the earth is shifting weather wise -- problem--oceans will rise causing coastal regions everywhere to flood out of existence.. Al Gore's plea is to FLEE to higher ground! So, if that is true, why aren't the gov't/coastal folks moving to higher grounds..?

Hurricane Sandy was a STORM that flooded the USA east coast. It wasn't because the oceans rose and stayed at a higher level since then..! Floods occurring within the continental USA are from STORMS dropping water from the skies above.. NOT from the oceans beside us..!





Then your area has been especially *blessed*.

Maybe where you are -- people respect the land a bit better, because their ancestors have been there for centuries. However, on this side of the Atlantic, for decades, it seems that nearly every golf course I've ever known has selfishly consumed tons and tons of water -- even when drought restrictions were being enforced. It seems there is almost always a double standard applied to golf courses vs. residential property owners. The wealthier golfers just can't part with their lushious greens, while the rest of us watch our water supplies dwindle.

On this side of the pond, unless one is a Native American with strong ties or adheres to such strong ties to respecting nature's natural resources, (some) folks tend to ignore the consequences of their actions, because life has turned into a
"me, me, ME" world regardless of what occurs. Streets get trashed and resources contaminated. It's no longer limited to city boundaries. The city folks who visit the country trash the countryside. Then, the residents get cranky from cleaning up other people's trash all the time and apathy sets in, so that the country ends up with trash dumped into woodsy areas, etc. It's really disgusting. And some of the younger generation just don't bother cleaning up their garbage, because they don't clean up their own yards and trashing someone else's property is the norm to them. It doesn't matter how much the town(s) tries to encourage clean-looking streets and yards, and especially if the winds pick up and blows the trash out all over everywhere, mostly no one bothers to touch it, unless they are forced into civic duty (as part of their jail/penalty payout period).

In more serious scenarios, The EPA steps in and starts enforcing *waste management* rules, and then nearly everyone starts complaining. Well, if they'd adhere to taking care of the environment they all live within, they might not have to feel so regulated. Our societies are getting literally sick from the environment they are living in. In recent years, it seems that Water here just can't replenish purifying itself naturally enough for people to not get sick. And "God-forbid" about breathing the air from someone who was deathly ill.. within a day or two, whatever that other person had, will surely follow the person after them. ..and speaking of ill air---I cringe when hearing about using outdoor potties (that includes the historical ones before indoor plumbing came into use).. Not the healthiest place to breathe air in..!




I can go maybe 4 days without feeding some of my garden plants in 80-90 degree (F) temps. After that, they wilt or start drying up. Triple digit temps kill anything within a day or 2. The soil simply cannot hold the water for plants that can survive moist soils for 7 days in lower temps without any watering. Most of our local farmers' crops died out during the severe, late 1990's--2001 (thereabouts time frame) drought because they relied on the sky for watering the crops. Most farmers who couldn't afford in-ground pipe or irrigation drip systems, lost over half of their veggies and then sold the land as real estate for industries, or whoever else to move in, instead. So, no the land here cannot survive triple digit (F) heat without light rainfall (maybe 15 minutes if even that) for more than 3 or 4 days comfortably. Even once a week to heavily saturate the soil for a good solid hour or so might be helpful. But that time, our drought lasted nearly 2 months without any rainfall whatsoever. Crops died. Famine of sorts resulted -- in poor crop/nutrient output on a local basis. Foods/Veggies had to come in from other locations that had it in higher abundance.
Even TPTB admitted that *not* much could survive the triple digit heat stroke our region was suffering from during that time frame. BTW, ever see pics of the arid southwestern USA..? That's what the east coast USA was turning into.. Desert -- without the cactii.. just dead wilderness.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has permitted research in creating drought resistant crops, which is now known as GE or GMO tampering with the DNA of the food supplies vs. insect world in combination with a lack of water. Within a short decade or so, the insects/bugs have adapted and outsmarted the scientists creating these amazing wonders and so everything is back to square one on the "we're in serious trouble if famines/floods continue" mode. No happy middle ground.

It's late, and I lost whatever I typed up before, so, in short -- it was the County/States who approved of the soapy (grey rinse) water during our severe drought season(s) (probably with the blessings of the EPA, too). Mostly to make the ground moist as much as possible to prevent fires from spreading, more than for keeping the lawns green and trees happy. Crops were another issue altogether.

meh...I don't think GMO-ing our food is the way to go either.....who knows what sort of effects on health GMO food could have?

I think we should just look into cultivating edible plants that can naturally survive in arid conditions, such as cactii.....I wonder if there are any edible plants w/ high protein content that can survive arid conditions?

[aretood2]

you've just been flagged as Communist©

In Russia, people would get flagged as capitalists

[jelgate]

In Soviet Russia, cow eat you

[Falcon Horus]

In Russia, people would get flagged as capitalists

What color flag's that so that I adjust one half of my flag.

[SGalisa]

comment--
This tracking earth's prophecies/current events topic is not entirely devoted to doomsday...

...There are plenty of positive events and things to discuss -- the question is whether or not humans will achieve those goals.)
...
* Financial issues -- collapse of monetary systems locally and worldwide
---- includes current protesting going on in USA & elsewhere on planet (will affect all finances globally, including our retirements, if there is such a thing as a real, enjoyable *retirement*)

* tracking all humans & pets via computer chipping (example-- via VeriChip Corp)

* natural disasters -- flooding, earthquakes, droughts, megastorms, etc.
---- plagues, famines
---- health issues (existing progress or lack of progress in medical advances for various diseases & super-viruses)

* solutions suggested or made pro/con...

* scientific discoveries on both macro (Universe) & micro levels
---- includes CERN's discoveries, Hubble's wonders
---- technology increasing? or just getting better at understanding?
...

Okay, had to move some medical/financially related stuff over here, so here is where a previous conversation was going until being dumped into this tracking earth's future... topic...
{spoiler brackets for space}
From The Political Discussion Thread

at post #13902402

Spoiler:

Part of this has nothing to do with politics, unless it's future is paid for by *Obamacare* (Affordable Health Care Act), but to answer the questions...

at post #13899984
Have you never heard the expression "it has to hurt before it heals"?

hmmm, have you ever had a back spasm that lasted for more than 3 days and happened several times a minute, causing difficulty to even breathe without hurting from stabbing pain? What am I going to do? Spend tons of money to lose time at work (firstly in order to pay this new medical bill), because precious time was spent a week in the hospital being stretched out on some steel bar and jacked up with morphine pain meds? The pain is *that* extreme. And I've heard this story over and over on several different medical website forums from other people who have suffered the same problem.

The pain site is also usually triggered from a nerve being annoyed that starts to throb. I've been informed that it is similar to neurological ailments such as Parkinson's or Epilepsy, etc. In this particular situation, muscular therapy and pain meds
do NOT stop the (involuntarily) throbbing, so this takes pain to a completely (higher) level and threshold.

at post #13899942

...Let's see, not sure if your "provider" is the same definition as how it is used in the USA. The "provider" (is the Health Care insurance company..) The "provider" doesn't tell the customer how to use the unit. I got it from a hospital supply store. The salesperson, at the hospital supply store, told me that my doctor would show me how to use the unit (which was how it ended up being done, but no one was certain about how much time on the machine is too much length of time, thus causing potentially damaging results). The health care insurance provider determines where the code is on the bill of sale and where it gets directed on the insurance plan. The TENS unit itself did not even state how often was too much time on one specific area per day.


The doctor informs the client how to use the unit, which in part was done, but not entirely because of a gray area no one knew the answer to, unless they were a neurology specialist. That would have been the next step. I already had the wonderful experience at the hands of skilled therapists using a more expensive TENS unit device. It was expensive to use their equipment, which you can use in any sports gym, but got the benefit of (paying more for) a therapist digging out the cramps (and causing more cramps while doing so) right before they set up the machine to make you feel Ooooooo and Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.. I was eternally grateful for the machine. NOt so happy about the human paws on technique to make the cramps get worse, before they got better.

at post #13899984
Right, so your provider.
If they did not know how a TENS unit is supposed to be operated, then they have no business attempting to sell or get you to use one without telling you this.
IF they did tell you this, and you did it anyway, you must accept the burden of "blame" here.
...
Who suggested a TENS machine? THAT is the provider, the rest is just where you got it and your insurance details. If you had a infected toe and the doctor prescribed a Anti-biotic, he PROVIDES the prescription. WHERE you fill that out is your business.

Wrong. Maybe in your part of the world, the term "provider" means medical personnel=doctors/nursing staff.
On this side of the ocean, "provider" means *health insurance carrier* = the folks who pay out the rest of the money to the medical folks treating (generic) you for whatever is ailing you. Many of the people working at the insurance companies are simply general clerk-type office workers, and have no degrees or experience in medical care whatsoever beyond the forms they process for payment (which comes from the banks or some sort of medical funding/money supply company).

Thus, the insurance carrier only specifies what items purchased for specified health treatment that the gov't (CDC?) allows the insurance carrier to pay out.
Need to keep separate the doctors/nursing staff from the insurance carrier.

I worked for several insurance carriers, so I know when I fill out those medical forms at the doctor's office, "provider" means insurance company paying out the rest of the bill. It also asks that on each form. If it does not, it is fairly understood the insurance carrier is the "provider" name in question.
Otherwise, it makes absolutely NO sense for the doctor's office to ask the patient what the name is of the doctor treating the patient, since they *already* have that in their medical records. What they don't have is you personal other info, like ID (something that reveals you are really *you*!) and the group/ID numbers of the insurance company you are signed up with to help you pay your doctor money owed for specific treatment given.

People getting free gov't treatment also have to fill out forms, but if the carrier is provided by a state health care system, I think it is the doctor's office (accounting section) who sends the document(s) out for the state to complete (medicaid/medicare) for payment approval.

at post #13899984
Why are you considering a Neurologist and not a Physiologist? I would more trust my muscles to MG than a Neurologist.......

Maybe because I have a neurological issue (spasms triggered by nerves being irritated), and not because my muscles simply hurt. Exercises and therapy can help alleviate *some* of the pain, but it doesn't *prevent* the problem from reoccurring, and especially not (i.e., not helping) IF any of the exercises/treatments are adding to the problem rather than helping to CURE it or slow it down.

Been to physiologists (therapists assigned by the DO/ostiopath) to help me work around my slipped/herniated discs, etc. --that's what started the diagnosis years and years ago, but since then, the problem has deteriorated to whole new levels.. Physiologists and therapy exercises helped a little, but only rich folks can afford to return for more/continuous therapy/spa-like treatment. I had most of the basic therapy items at home (had to buy the elastic band and giant rubber ball), but when your spine goes out of joint because it is GRINDING down on itself, it's better to realign the spine (and fix the causes behind the trigger points) first before continuing the exercises! Same issues with bad knees/joints that are disintegrating. Muscular therapy only goes so far. The rest requires surgery, but only as a last resort!

Before I found out my own situation had turned into a permanent domino effect, due to age related issues (and not reversible or curable), I even looked into a chiropractor with a decompression spinal machine (costs $300 buckeroos up front, over $1000 for full treatment), and the insurance provider does NOT pay for the machine, so I was informed by the nice receptionist processing the forms.

Some insurance carriers DO pay out for what is called an Atlas Orthogonal Technique, where the spine is adjusted by a machine at the neck. It is sort of similar to a spinal decompression device, that helps stretch the spine and supposedly adjust it back into place. Again, Atlas treatments are frequent and costly especially in the first 3 months; and I have heard a few horror stories where the machine failed after a year or so, because the original spinal mapping in the patient slipped off of its original, atlas spot, due to either moving or sleeping in a way that threw it off track. Simply carrying groceries (and the bags don't have to be heavy, either) can mess havoc with one's spine (I know.. been there, done that!!!)

Yeah, long story started over ten years ago. It's apparently inherited from both my parents and often occurs AFTER there is some sort of cartilage disintegration (to which there is no cure). Problem is now looking into LONG-term (permanent) treatment (cost vs available time/equipment, etc.), and there are many other folks out there also dealing with this health issue, besides me. That's why I'd rather move the rest of this into the tracking earth's future... topic, instead. Can discuss more details about the medical wonders in there than a political topic..

Therefore, maybe I should hold off until this stuff gets discussed in there instead?

If you wish.

later.

figures.. gotta continue this in another post.

[SGalisa]

*Medical wonders* or not...? (continued)


It's because I've read about too many other people going thru the exact *same* health problems I experienced with spinal issues, on why I'm even discussing some of my own "been there, done that". I do feel that if human civilizations ever colonize other planets, the first folks setting up shop there are going to start out with basically nothing --if and when their lives turn into permanent health issues that whatever medical supplies they run out of won't help them with long-term spinal and other issues. Maybe something here can be gleaned..?

Long story short. The above cartilage disintegration I experienced in my spine went into a desperate mode when the last spasm(s) episode occurred. My regular doctor at the time did some chiropractry adjustment to my bones (because he is medically authorized to do that), and the problem got resolved until ten minutes after I left his office. Situation stunk. I just left his over-stressed (basically a 2-minute visit) and busy waiting room with 20 other walk-ins (freebie med needy folks, most with the flu and chronic coughs on that particular day!), so I really didn't want to go back in and wait another two hours with sick folks coughing all over, with me breathing their germy air for another readjustment (should he even bother with it)...

So, I eventually went to a different doctor and explored new options from where the other office left off.
My new doctor and I both believed my spinal cartilage was disintegrating (MRI's proved this), and something was pinching the nearby nerves triggering muscle spasms that would not come under control without relying on continuous (prescription) medicine relief. Well, since I had previous experience with my body eventually becoming immune to the effects of various meds, I knew I had to resort to possible surgery as the next (ultimately LAST possible) step.. and possibly stay on pain meds for the rest of my earthly life.

Been there, done that. Lots of other folks with deteriorating spinal cartilage are also dealing with what I went thru. Fortunately, I came across an amazing health technique that does not require *ANY* pain medicine or physiologist, altho, it should be advisable for anyone experiencing a similar dilemma to have a professional medical doctor monitor (generic) your situation and progress. The technique is known as the Mckenzie Exercise program. Someone on another web site mentioned it out of the blue to someone else, and I googled it. The rest is history. I'm not into yoga, but knew if I didn't try it, I might never know if such a technique could work or not. Saying the spasms force a person to immediately lay flat on the floor for up to 12 hours or more, is exactly what happens. Being forced to stay home is putting it mildly. Driving with the spasms is insane, and that includes being a passenger while being taken to the doctor's office or hospital (if the doctor's office was closed).
This is NOT your ordinary, run-of-the-mill, simple Doans' cure-all pain-in-the-back situation.

I found out that the location of the disc damage was in a rare spot (thoracic spine) that most doctor's
do NOT want to treat -- because fixing by spinal manipulation is risky and requires continuous management in most cases, and any (MAJOR) surgery for that portion of the spine is too close to the heart and lung areas. Oh yeah, and Epidural Injection procedures can help for a few months, but I also found out that such a method does NOT always work or work forever. So, if your young and desperate for relief, and an Epidural Injection stops being effective after a few years or even a few months, you're out of options for relief!
Spinal surgery is a last resort and can end up in having more domino surgeries, because newer areas of the spine have begun deteriorating -- thanks to the previous zone setting the stage for the next round of pains. So young folks with this problem are doomed..???! I read medical forum postings -- where people in their 20's and 30's were suffering with this condition, and unable to work (be employed) because they simply could not function (at all or any more) as a normal human being!

This is CHRONIC pain management here...! Most expenses are beyond what the average human worker can afford to fix and maintain, also.
BTW, Naproxen helps both muscular and joint issues. Tylenol works best on joints (arthritis) and Advil works better on muscles (but not the joints). DO NOT mix medications, either!!

These are a specific exercise that targets an affected zone in the spine and does something amazing to help the person suffering manage their health back into enough *normalcy* that basic chores such as grocery shopping and laundry can continue to be done without the physical trauma pain adding to the emotional grumbling..

Anyway, I'm not sure how many centuries (especially with yoga experts) that these exercises have been tried out, but I tried a few Mckenzie steps out, and within two weeks, my back spasms stopped completely. I was also on various medications, and managed to wean myself off of those, as well over several weeks/months. On one level, it was a miracle (miracle of timing in finding the right answer to a desperately bad situation!) I also knew that if I did NOT continue the exercises on a regular basis, the spasms and other pains might return. The goal is to prevent that and keep the spine aligned as much as possible to maintain heavy lifting, but with caution and doing such rigorous routines the proper way (whatever way that is that does NOT cause your spine to slip off of its discs/bones and thus grind itself down even further).

The cost of doing the exercises was and is free, except for having a doctor monitor the progress, should anyone (else) with this particular ailment try it. ALSO, very important -- always SEE the doctor first before attempting self-help techniques!

There are times when certain medicines still have to be used, because the spasms are involuntary and don't always occur in the back. That's why doctor care treatment is required in this particular case.

-----------------
to mad_gater
...and M-G, this is what I was trying to explain why (certain muscular) therapy only works so far. Maybe you can ask about the Mckenzie program in your studies and use that as an added help in your therapy sessions (you could be an advisor to start in actual one-to-one therapy.. ask the professionals first, but I think that's what they might provide as a reasonable answer). I found some interesting videos explaining the procedure, and combined those with what the therapists taught me in previous years. That's what helped me out the most.

It's a form of yoga or Ancient medicine, and yet is the only thing (treatment) that helped rescue me.
It has helped numerous other folks too, but there's still a lot of folks with deterioration issues that not even a chiropractor, nor countless pain meds can maintain in a cost effective management care plan.

[SGalisa]

Well, we're not quite at the following prophetic point yet (but)---

from the New International Version (NIV)
"Revelation 13:16) {the beast} It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,
17) so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name."

However, events seem to be pushing us ever closer to that critical prophetic moment of Revelation 13:16-17.


The Washington Post came out with several articles regarding the
Affordable Health Care plan.

Two of these articles might be of special interest to anyone (in the USA) having to deal with looking for their own health insurance plan.

Spoiler:

(due to potential subscription application, the links below are broken.
Please remove B L A N K spaces in beginning of web address to access article/link for complete details)


"How the Obamacare fight could create new health disparities"
By Zachary A. Goldfarb, Published: September 27
washingtonpost(dot)com
http : // www .washingtonpost. com/opinions/how-obamacare-could-create-new-health-disparities/2013/09/27/5994cdd8-248f-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html

"...For starters, about half of the states, almost all run by Republican governors and legislatures, have decided not to expand Medicaid, the joint state-federal health insurance program for the poor, as the Affordable Care Act was supposed to do. (The Supreme Court ruled that states could choose whether to expand Medicaid.) As a result, about 6 million low-income people will not have coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That's compared with 4 million people who will gain coverage in the remaining states and the District of Columbia under the expansion, all paid for with federal dollars.

What's more, almost all the states refusing to expand Medicaid, plus a few more, have decided against setting up their own health insurance marketplaces, a critical feature of the law. That's forced federal officials to organize far more of the "exchanges" than they had anticipated. The remaining states are working hard to set up and advertise their exchanges, which experts think will lead to more Americans signing up for health coverage in those places.

While millions of Americans in states that are not setting up their own exchanges are still eligible for coverage, many local government leaders are making it as difficult as possible for residents to find out about their options under the law. For example, Florida, with almost 4 million uninsured people, has banned federally hired workers from setting up shop in state health centers to help people understand their new choices. That means it's going to be a lot harder for uninsured Floridians to sign up for the exchanges."

------------------------


"Navigating the Affordable Care Act, whose health insurance exchanges open Tuesday"
By Lena H. Sun, Published: September 25
http : // www .washingtonpost. com/national/health-science/navigating-the-affordable-care-act-whose-health-insurance-exchanges-open-tuesday/2013/09/25/c1c7dcaa-2229-11e3-b73c-aab60bf735d0_story.html

On Tuesday, the online health insurance marketplaces — the centerpiece of President Obama’s health-care law — are scheduled to open for business.
...

What is an exchange?

It's a Web site designed to make it easy for people to find health coverage. Each state will have one. The District and 16 states, including Maryland, are running their own exchanges. The rest are either partnering with the federal government or, as in Virginia's case, relying on the federal government to operate their exchanges. To find the correct site, go to www.healthcare.gov.
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Who will use the exchanges?

The exchanges are designed for the uninsured, people who buy their own coverage and those whose employer-provided coverage is too expensive or lacks important benefits.
Initial open enrollment is Oct. 1 through March 31.
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People who are in the country illegally are barred from the exchanges.
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What if I can't afford the premiums?

The law provides sliding-scale subsidies to help people with incomes up to four times the federal poverty level — $11,490 — (about $46,000 for an individual, $62,040 for a couple, and $94,200 for a family of four) pay premiums. There's additional help with co-payments and deductibles for people with incomes up to 250 percent of the poverty level ($28,725 for an individual or $58,875 for a family of four). People who receive subsidies will be required to pay 2 to 9.5 percent of their incomes toward premiums, depending on how much money they make.

What happens if I don't buy insurance by January? {2014, that is}

You will face a penalty of $95, or 1 percent of your income, whichever is greater, for the first year.
The fine increases to $695, or 2.5 percent of income, in 2016.

--and that's just one item that has been at the *heart* of the entire "ObamaCare" debates.
If you doNOT sign up for the insurance by January 2014---
"The fine increases to $695, or 2.5 percent of income, in 2016."

Some of this sounds like Nationalizing the Health Care system, similar to the Nationalizing of various economic situations in the fictional "Atlas Shrugged" series. For what it's worth, it was interesting watching parts 1 and 2 of "Atlas Shrugged". (Part 3 takes a different direction, so, it's not included here, except for entertainment value. Otherwise, parts 1 and 2 were) Certainly a conversation piece. When I saw the movies, it was almost like watching current events in our own future America. Kind of creepy in that sense.

[SGalisa]

* tracking...

* natural disasters -- flooding, earthquakes, droughts, megastorms, etc.
---- plagues, famines
---- health issues (existing progress or lack of progress in medical advances for various diseases & super-viruses)

* solutions suggested or made pro/con against global warming, pollution, & reforestation
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Earthquakes on the increase in diverse places (places where earthquakes usually aren't common, annual events). With the controversies on fracking underground, lots of little quakes have been reported and mostly being under 3.0 magnitude. USGS did confirm that fracking *might* be contributing to those quakes, but I don't have time to look up the data right now.

Anywho.. latest news---
Is the Supervolcano expected to manifest itself above the ground in the Yellowstone National Park's caldera?
Yikes!!!!!!!! What??

Found some rumors in the news about a potential major earthquake about to hit the region, and more rumors about most of the USA being affected if the caldera ever does bury most of the west under molten lava, and damage the midwest from growing crops, due to blowing volcanic ash from the giant caldera region.

A few years ago, web cams were set up around various parts of the Yellowstone National Park and caldera region for folks to watch the water geisers and heat rising from beneath the ground. Not much activity has been reported since then. So, it mostly been a ho-hum status, until February 1, 2014.

According to the (official) USGS services, any rumors circulating about the Yellowstone caldera about to have a major earthquake or blow it's top at any moment are absolutely incorrect.

"USGS Volcano Hazards Program Volcano Update"

(from the USGS web site)

A story reporting abnormally strong earthquake activity in Yellowstone National Park has been circulating across the Internet over the last few days. In fact, earthquake activity in Yellowstone has been at normal levels for the past several months.

The story appears to be based on a misinterpretation of public "webicorders", which are graphics depicting seismic data, on the University of Utah Seismographic Station (UUSS) web site (UU operates the Yellowstone Seismic Network). A borehole seismometer called "B944", located near the West Thumb region of the Park, has been malfunctioning in recent weeks with strong bursts of electronic noise contaminating its data. These noise bursts appear as wild excursions on the B944 webicorders that can appear alarming to the inexperienced eye.
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hmmm. And what if they are wrong? What if the quake happens, the volcano blows, and over half of the USA goes into a volcanic winter?

It's bad enough now that California was reporting only 3.5 percent of its water supply is left at one of its major reservoirs. Some of that could be blamed on the dam upstream being turned off or redirected elsewhere; not to also mention how much nearby waters got shipped in fighting major fires over the entire western region. *sigh*
The state of California has already declared a major drought emergency, so that also means the veggies we get from over there won't be getting water any more??

They should have built those desalination plants a long time ago, and then they'd have plenty of water all up and down the west coast, but the environmental treehugger and animal friendly folks protested that such a system would destroy life in the ocean... nevermind that good portions of sea-life is already dying, or being declared as unsafe to eat.

Hey, global warming news or climate change believers don't want the oceans to rise. So, if the oceans are rising, what difference does it make for a few drops of all of that melting water to get redirected?? It's already been studied what might happen to sea-life (they die anyway!) if the oceans swell up and lose their saltiness, because too much fresh water from the icebergs and glaciers are melting.

Well, I just read a news blurb that San Diego is thinking about proposing the possibility to build one desalination plant by 2016. Okay, time now is February 2014. That's nearly 2 entire years away from producing adequate and much needed (veggie and various grains) FOOD supplies...

The biggest problem might be jellyfish clogging up the desalination pipes or filters, because that actually did happen (I think) last year in one of the countries on this fragile earth.

[SGalisa]

as per requested. Below subject moved--it's here because it is prophetic in nature (described in the Bible as it would eventually happen--for real). So....
(quotes below are from "The-Political-Discussion" topic)

...but Christianity is destined to blur out and morph out, which is already happening -- with the internet sort of speeding the process up onto the fast track. *sigh*

I've mentioned it in the past, but will tackle the issue of Christianity blurring out later.

Move that to the religious thread then, cause we're skirting the fine line between on topic and off topic for a while now.

How difficult is it to see the Biblical Christian POV being put under a microscope for extremist persecution(s)? The so-called Church has become so split since the first and 2nd centuries, that when it takes nearly 10 pages or more in a local phone book to separate the various "congregations" claiming to be "Christian" there is something seriously wrong with the "Christian" POV belief system.

Revelation Chapters 2 through 3 describe the 7 churches that will and have appeared down thruout history. Some people believe these Churches occur in a specific historical timeline, while others believe they sort of overlap at the same time with one type standing out more than the rest. All 7 have had their moments of glory, but it is sort of believed that the six Churches mentioned before the Church of Laodicea will sort of fade out near the end of the Church age, and the church of Laodicea will takes over the popularity club status, because it is the one Church God hates, because it has a compromised and possibly apathetic attitude towards God and God's ways or commandments. (see Rev. 3:14-21, especially verses 15-16).

Seriously, how many different ways does this need to be discussed?
Within the last 50 years of our current 20th-21st centuries (C.E.), how many compromises and changes have certain persons *claiming* to be Christian have agreed in changing what the Judaeo/Christian scriptures had written before the 3rd century C.E.
The Son of God has been changed in one translation to be the "child of God" --hence, gender neutral. "God" is no longer written or referred to as a "He" but gender neutral.

In other words, the entire bible is being neutered and neutralized--in order to keep up with the times, so to speak, so it is viewed as impotent within the more liberal Christian circles. (I've actually seen words to that effect on other web site forums discussing where "Christianity" along with the Bible should be heading in future years.)

That's considered blurring the lines, drastically changing the original meanings/intents... maybe a more accurate term for these alterations is being "politically correct"..

How many times have some people said that God or Jesus didn't really mean what he said in relation to what "sin" (or having a sin nature) actually is..?
Sorry, but "Christianity" in the mainstream neutral zone--so it doesn't offend anyone, has become so far removed from what the Bible originally stated, that the popular (compromising) club of Christianity in today's world has made original, ancient Christianity a joke.

Take this further, Revelation 17:1-6 describes a feminine sort of prostitute that is both a ruling system and resides in a specific city on earth, who is an abomination in God's presence, because "she" has persecuted the (implied) *true* saints of Jesus (the Christ). Pick a city, there might be more than one--It is a mystery city somewhere on earth practicing apparent Babylonian origins, since Rev.17:5 labels its name as "Mystery Babylon the Great...and of the abominations of the earth".

It is also believed that during the time events noted in the book of Revelation actually occur, the Messianic Jewish believers will be picking up the role of witnessing (and are protected by God), because the non-Jewish (*true* born-again) Christians have become pushed out of view in some (currently) unknown way. The Messianic Jewish believers are listed by Jewish tribe in Revelation 7:4-8 having 12,000 from each one of the 12 tribes. Only God knows who those people are. These people will be the final group of "believers" (in Jesus Christ) who will pick up and teach God's words, where the no longer influential Christian flock left off.

The true Christian Church during that time will be severely persecuted, while the compromised Christian Church (Laodicea like in nature) pours itself and POVs over the earth in ways that the whole world might accept.

In the compromised *Christian* POV (which is basically "Christian" in name only, not by deed), Hell is already considered merely as a distorted concept of bad events happening on earth or within someone's life, and therefore is not a genuine fireside chat place destined for the devil to meet up with his minions and followers, and anyone else feeling that Satan's gotten a bad rap (reputation, as noted in the Bible).


I hope that is clear enough for now, because I have to tend to other home things -- and that's all I can write about for now.

[Coco Pops]

And I'd just like to jump in and say point blank that prophecy is hoo hah........

And with that I shall leave. While I find the notion of prophecy fascinating there's not shred of proof anywhere that any of that is real or likely to happen.

No religious prophecy on the other hand I find fascinating because the people that delude themselves into believing it seem to twist the narrative to fit their worldview but don't see that.

The end.

[Falcon Horus]

That's considered blurring the lines, drastically changing the original meanings/intents... maybe a more accurate term for these alterations is being "politically correct"..

But that's what the church (and every other religion possibly) has been doing since its beginning -- it adapts, adjusts and alters its views according to the times. If it doesn't, it will be left behind. And how many times hasn't religion been used to justify something (wars, crownings, killings, marriages...)

I think it's merely the nature of the beast.

[jelgate]

But that's what the church (and every other religion possibly) has been doing since its beginning -- it adapts, adjusts and alters its views according to the times. If it doesn't, it will be left behind. And how many times hasn't religion been used to justify something (wars, crownings, killings, marriages...)

I think it's merely the nature of the beast.

I will agree with that but say its not just religion. People use religion to justify selfish actions. And when religion doesn't work they use politics or science or whatever works to get others to follow them.