Theoretical Physics gets too much credit...

It wasn't too long ago, on a political forum/page (of all places), that some clown introduced theoretical physics into a debate about socialism. Yeah, your guess is as good as mine, but somehow or another, they were trying to prove that Einstein wasn't right for being a socialist? Honestly, I don't even get into politics very often, nor do I even know what a socialist (Update: I know now... Yikes!) even is. In fact, I shy from political debates more than I would a religious debate, any day of the week. However, when somebody says that so-in-so is an expert in "theoretical physics," what are you really saying? Oh, I get it, you forgot what it means to play with numbers/math and currently trending scientific theories to dream up anything you want, while being under the title of a "theoretical physicist."

True, the common definition for this math-magical career is a branch of physics which employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. Of course, this odd career is definitely in contrast with more realistic stuff like "experimental physics," just saying. In a thumbnail, they rely on mainstream theories and mathematics to add to, just like many folks have, an existing imagination. What's the big deal here? Do they not get too much credit or what? I mean seriously, the French Fry guy at McDonald's can take a few hits of LSD and say things that often relate to quantum mechanics. Let's just say, that even most Buddhists speak of things that at least semi-relate to the theory of quantum entanglement and I really doubt that most of them spent years in college studying silly theories of our existence, for example.

I also find it funny, that during, yet another trending theory called the "string theory," that they have to add a certain number of dimensions for the math to work. What? Are you telling me that we must have 11 dimensions (or whatever they say now) just so your math can work on paper just so you can complete your totally non-provable theory, and I supposed to take you seriously? Good grief, just because the History Channel or some science website aired your baloney, doesn't mean that I should succumb to your asininity, right? In fact, I think some of these chaps that think they are brainstorming cosmic scenarios while fictitiously claiming to have a divine/scientific epiphany during the process, would be much more credit-worthy if they just dropped the mathematics and currently trending theories, and do more like the local bum down the road does, after a few hits of something that he smokes, drinks, takes, or whatever. At least it will be more genuine... Ha!

In conclusion, does having those extra letters, names & titles beside your name, really mean anything - when you are claiming to unravel the properties of the universe during the process? I think not... LOL!

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theoretical_physics

---End of Post "Theoretical Physics gets too much credit..."

Mind Uploading & Cybernetics

To many folks, the concept behind 'mind uploading' is definitely a far-fetched notion. I once posted this subject within a Q & A section on another website and received a very limited number of responses, to say the least. You will usually have 3 different camps for this query: 1) You will have the spiritual group that is against this idea because the body is like a vessel for our consciousness, soul, and whatnot. 2) You will have the proponents of cybernetics that claim mind uploading and/or downloading a complete mind into a machine will be possible in the distant future. 3) You will always have the good ol' "I couldn't care less" people.

I suppose and/or assume that the primary goal of this would be to create a possible eternity for the human mind? I mean, outside of building a planet full of cyborgs to replace biological entities (how is that good?), what other good could come from it? Would it ultimately be just for some aging millionaires (or billionaires) on their death bed to pay some highly technical science lab to transfer their mind into a robot so they can live on forever? What if the robot loses power or malfunctions? Then what? Dang, this all reminds me of some old B-movies in the sci-fi genre that I've watched in the past...

As for the science behind this spiritual uploading (or whatever you want to call it) stuff, I'm not even going to try and define the term cybernetics, but mainly because cybernetics can't even define cybernetics. LOL! Seriously, there are currently 13+ definitions for that term on Wikipedia, for example.

I don't know if this is true or not, but I once had a person tell me that current science predicts this technology will emerge around 2065. He went on to mention about how we are just a bunch of chemicals and electrical impulses (haven't we all heard that before) that could easily be replicated into a computer. Ha-ha! Personally, I really doubt if they will ever create a sentient robot that replicates an emotional, semi-rational human being with common sense and imagination.

Brain Emulation / Mind Uploading is a hypothetical process that states the mind transfer will involve copying a conscious mind to a non-biological system or computational device. Some people really have a lot of faith in this, but do you think it is possible? I mean, Microsoft can't even make their computer devices glitch free, so how in the hell are the scientists going to create a cyborg, sentient robot, etc., via cybernetics that absolutely mimics a human being without any errors? Ha-ha!

Related Post: 

http://random-twaddle.blogspot.com/2015/01/human-performs-vulcan-mind-meld-on-rat.html

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_uploading

---End of Post "Mind Uploading & Cybernetics"

Human performs the Vulcan Mind-meld on Rat

Well, I just read some interesting science news. I can't really say much at the moment, other than the fact that I'm never surprised anymore with how much money is wasted on certain senseless research and scientific projects. Nonetheless, this one is sure to bring out the science-fiction buffs. I like the original series Star Trek, and anybody that knows very much about that series will be familiar with Spock and the Vulcan mind-meld. You know, it is where he puts his hand on the other person's head and reads their thoughts. Yeah, sort of like 2nd stage telepathy... If you need a refreshment for what the Vulcan mind-meld is, visit: en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Vulcan_mind_meld

Anyway, a group of researchers at Harvard University have created the first noninvasive brain-to-brain interface between a human and, uh, a rat. Why is there always a rat involved? I understand they need to use animals, but what is the obsession with this particular rodent about? Well, moving right along... While reading about this crazed project, they said that by thinking the appropriate thought, the BBI allows the human to control the rat’s tail. Wow! Such a breakthrough! LOL!
At any insane rate, before you comment on this post, you may want to first check out this story in full detail, here: www.extremetech.com/extreme/162678-harvard-creates-brain-to-brain-interface-allows-humans-to-control-other-animals-with-thoughts-alone

Is that nuts or what? If this type of stuff succeeds and/or advances to a much higher stage of progress, can you imagine what uses it could have if there was human to human action taking place? Yeah, there could definitely be ethical issues here, to say the least. At any rate, I wonder how much money it cost to hook up all that fancy equipment and test over and over while trying to get a human to pervade a rat's brain. At least the study involved an intelligent species, which was the rat, by the way. Ha! Just kidding, well, I think...
Feel free to share your thoughts...

Image Credit: Wikipedia (public domain)

---End of Post "Human performs the Vulcan Mind-meld on Rat"

Related Post: "Mind Uploading & Cybernetics"

Indie Book Publishing

I was recently talking to somebody online within a comment section, and Indie Book Publishing was brought up. The comment field was full of hilarity and utter garbage, but that is besides the point. This particular individual follows a pseudo-scientific belief system that is rejected by the scientific community. However, to prove that anybody can write a book now and sell it on Amazon, he used the Indie publishing option. If you are wondering, Indie is short for 'independence' or 'independent'... This option is good if you want to skip all the steps and waiting that people have to endure when publishing a book, the traditional way.

A person could wait their entire life for some big lump sum from a major publisher, and the Indie Book Publishing method can help get your content into the marketplace so there will be a much better chance you will gain a following, readers, etc. Personally, I've never even thought about publishing a book, but I have heard about the rejections people often get when submitting their work to professional publishing companies. Actually, after reading some of the small samples from a few of them, I can see why; ha-ha!

Anyway, I'm not an affiliate with any publishing company, but if you'd like to read more about this subject, go here: www.findyourpublisher.com/indie_book_publishing/ [Link is no longer active]

E-books sell for really cheap nowadays, thanks to the Kindle and whatever else they have now. I'm not sure what would be your best route, but it does seem that hardback books are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Either way, when I purchase a book online, I still prefer the tangible, physical copy of the work whether it is paperback or hardcover, but that's just me. At any literary rate, I just thought I'd provide this resource link, in case anybody was curious about additional options for becoming a published author (I'm not talking about a blogger, etc.).

Image Credit: bookcovers.creativindie.com/3-in-1-ebook-conversion-and-formatting-package-kindle-epub-and-smashwords/ [Link is no longer active]

---End of Post "Indie Book Publishing"

Artwork: Ancient Egyptian Tablets

Of course, these are not actual Ancient Egyptian tablets from long ago, but they are 3 nice pieces of artwork. I bought these several years ago from some unknown source.  I say "unknown" because there was a certain time in my life where I randomly purchased so many interesting things (maybe that's why I was always broke back then), that I really don't know where I ordered these from; ha! Anyway, they really go nice with the other Egyptian collectibles of mine along with the various stones and metaphysical crystals I have collected over the years.

These particular tablets are fairly heavy for their size and, although I know they are fabricated in today's time period, they still appear to be made from rock or stone at first glance. Well, to make it easier to understand, if I were to hit you in the head with 'em, you would feel as if you got hit with a piece of brick; ha!

Anyway, this got me to thinking, since I used to be pretty big into artwork...  So, I checked online, and they do sell Egyptian Hieroglyphic Stone kits. The site I'm about to link to, claims that these are crafts for kids. Hell, I'm not a kid anymore and I still thought they were cool. LOL! The basic concept behind it, is that kids can make their own stone tablet using self-hardening dough or clay and carve out hieroglyphs onto it. Anyway, you can find that stuff, here: 

Egyptian Hieroglyphic Stone | Kids' Crafts | Fun Craft Ideas 

Or, you can just do like I did, and buy the Ancient Egyptian tablets online, all professional and whatnot; ha! The shopping link below used to link to 'search result' page from Amazon.com, but it is expired and no longer active at this time. However, there are still plenty of websites that sell cool stuff like this. Any place that sells Egyptian relics, tokens, and figurines, should also have ancient tablets similar to ones shown on this post.

Shopping Link: "Hieroglyphics in Toys & Games" [Link is no longer active]

Image Credit: My own photos. If you'd like to use those images online for anything, please link back to this blog for credit; thanks!

---End of Post "Artwork: Ancient Egyptian Tablets"

Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo + Best Crankbait for Creek

This will be a 2-part post, since I recently deleted a website and I'm currently moving and combining content amid multiple blogs and whatnot...

Part 1: Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo

This is an interesting little gadget for the lazy fisherman; ha! This automatic fishing reel supposed to be great for bank fishing or if you are fishing from a boat, kayak, dock, ice or even a jug. After you bait this thing up, tie it around a tree or anchor it to whatever surrounds you and go on with your business. Hey, who said fishing required you to actually do the fishing? LOL! The automatic reel supposed to hold the fish after it is hooked. I think it even reels the fish in several feet, going by some of the reviews. Speaking of that, this little device surprisingly had good reviews. I assumed it was some cheap automatic fishing reel (some people call it a "Fishing Yo-Yo"), but since it costs over 30 dollars, maybe not.

It was amusing to read some of its other uses, too, such as: it can be used as a clothesline, duck decoy retriever, small animal snare, and so on. This may be a good addition to your camping supplies, bait/tackle boxes, survival kits and whatnot. Plus, it might be a great gift idea if you have a lot of hard-to-shop-for redneck friends; ha! Oh, one of the reviews mentioned that you may need to bring some extra rope, if you have to secure this item around a limb or tree. Anyway, I thought I'd share this cool product today; cheers!

Update (1-20-2018): After nearly 3 years had passed since I wrote this Yo-Yo Automatic Fishing Reel post, I finally purchased it.  I must say, the price has come way down since then! I bought 6 Mechanical Fisher's Yo Yo Fishing Reels - Package of 1/2 Dozen - Yo-Yo Fish Trap (FLAT TRIGGER MODEL) for the current price of $15.52 plus tax on Amazon (link included below)! They would be great for fishing while occupied, etc. Plus, I thought it would go great with my survival/outdoor supplies, as well.


The updated product description is as follows: Very Sensitive Flat Trigger Mechanism

Stainless Steel (Rust Proof) Spring & Galvanized Steel Frame

Pre-Spooled with 9-12' of 60# Test Nylon Line

Adjustable Spring Tension

Made In The USA

6 Mechanical [Automatic] Fisher Reels and 1 instruction booklet, neatly packaged in a single padded envelope. These are the best [automatic] reels on the market. The Stainless Steel Spring is the best choice for Fisherman, Preppers, Survivalists and Hunters. They're very easy to use. Simply attach to the object of your choice, bait the hook, set depth and trigger, then wait. The Mechanical Fisher does the rest. It sets the hook and retrieves the fish! Kind of like a mouse trap for Fish, but these do not kill the fish! ---End of description.

Update (11-6-2021) #2 - Well, 4 years has nearly passed since I first bought this Yo-Yo fishing thing, and I still haven't even taken the damn things out of the package yet. Well, with that being said, I still can't fully review the functionality of this product yet, but I guess the reassurance of having additional survival gear has been its primary function as of now. --- End of Update #2


At any rate, this sounds like a cheap investment for outdoor supplies, to say the least...

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

  "Click Here for the Automatic Fishing Reel via Amazon"

Image Credit: Fair Use - Product Image - Amazon.com - This image (Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo) is found in various catalogs and websites.

---End of Part 1

Part 2: The Best Crankbait for Creek Fishing

This is more or less an opinion post, even though I have tried and tested this particular crankbait along with many others while creek fishing, for several years. I must say, the water conditions, weather, time of year, etc., can all affect what works best, but overall, I found one type of fishing lure that worked the best in the creeks I fished in…

Of course, live bait is hard to beat, but we are talking about artificial lures at the moment. Crankbaits are very versatile and come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and types; they are an excellent alternative to other artificial lures like plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and so on.

Anyway, the bait of choice is . . . The Rebel brand, medium-sized crawfish crankbait. You can get a small and large version as well, but I had the best luck with the one in the middle. Even though I haven’t went fishing in a few years, I used to roam up and down various streams, creeks, etc., with nothing but a stringer, a couple extra hooks, sinkers and swivels (in case I got hung up and had to resort to live bait), along with my awesome Rebel brand crawfish crankbait. Yes, occasionally I’d lose these things, as crankbaits have the extra hooks, which makes it easier to get hung around big rocks, weeds, etc. Hell, I’ve even lost one up in a tree one time while casting out (don’t ask how I managed to do this). I always preferred to bring a full tackle box, a pellet gun in case I seen an unfriendly snake, and be settled in one or two good fishing spots at the creek, but sometimes it is fun to change it up and walk up or downstream and fish while pretending to be a pro – especially if you find a good creek that has a lot of walking room on a rocky bank on one side or the other.

When it comes to using this crawfish crankbait, it is basically trial and error. You’ll find a rhythm and technique that works best for you, the more you use it. I’ve caught a many smallmouth bass and several largemouth bass while using this lure, but this bait is especially effective for those pesky little Rock Bass, also known as Red-eye Bass, Rock Perch, and Google-eye. Rock Bass are technically not a bass, but they look like one and put up a great fight for their size. They have big red eyes and can rapidly change colors from light green to a very dark color to help match their surroundings (a chameleon-like trait). Red-eye bass love rocky and cave-like areas (hence the name), and it is always pleasant to see one jolt out of their little underwater cave to pounce on your crawfish crankbait. Oh, they make for some pretty good meals, as well… Here is a picture of a nice, plump one, below:

Well, I suppose I could start telling random fishing tales or how I caught my biggest smallmouth bass ever, using a bread ball on a big hook, but I figure that I will spare y’all my short-lived success stories while creek fishing; ha-ha! However, if anybody wants to talk about what their favorite crankbait is or what artificial bait has worked best for you while fishing in creeks and/or small-to-large streams (along with anything else related to fishing), feel free to drop it down in the comment field below. Dang, after writing this short post, I’m now in the mood for a big fish fry. Hmmm…

Now, it is time to find the creeks & streams:

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

"Click Here for Crankbaits via Amazon"

---End of Part 2

---End of Post "Automatic Fishing Reel / Yo-Yo + Best Crankbait for Creek"

Have you ever thought about a Digital Detox?

When I hear the word 'detox', I normally think of people getting off of drugs and/or alcohol. I also think about those people that go through periodic "cleanses" and try to flush their system out while drinking lots of water, eating fruits, etc. However, when I hear the phrase "digital detox," I can't help but laugh. I mean, there really is a lot of people out there that are addicted to their cell phones and/or electronic devices. My main electronic addiction is this glowing contraption I'm staring at right now (my desktop computer), but can you imagine how free you'd feel if you went on a digital detox?

We live in a techno world, when concerning most non-tribal areas of the world, etc. So, I understand that going through a digital detox would be really hard unless you either got thrown into the jungle, stayed in the middle of a desert or inside of a cave, and so on. I mean, even the Penguins in Antarctica have laptops; ha! For the ones that don't have cell phone addictions, I guess the only time they encounter (or even think about one) a digital detox is when the power/electricity temporarily goes out at their home.  Yeah, power outages are always a good reminder of a few things... 

Anyway, I happened to think of this when I heard some girl on TV telling this other lady about her cell phone addiction and how she needs to go on a digital detox. I then looked it up online to see how many folks have written about this, and CNN had an article about some Yoga company that offers these services. You can find that page, here: www.cnn.com/2012/11/29/travel/digital-detox/ [Link is no longer active]

It was sort of funny, watching people doing yoga while trying to go "cold turkey" from their mindless gadgets. LOL! How about you? Have you ever thought about a digital detox? Personally, since I don't watch much television and my main source of electric entertainment is the computer, I'll pass on this type of detox. But I must say, when I was a kid I either stayed in the woods or at the creeks or out in the yard, and I had so much fun all the time. So really, when I think about this, it doesn't sound like a bad idea...

Image Credit: [Link is no longer active]

---End of Post "Have you ever thought about a Digital Detox?"

New Throwaway / Peel-Away Bed Sheets

Side Note:  I originally wrote this post 11 months ago, February 21, 2014, on another blogging site.

Yes folks, there is a new product line coming out for the lazy, oops, I mean for the ones that can't be bothered with washing their bed sheets. It is a 7-layer throwaway product, better described as the peel-away sheets.  It starts off by saying, "What if you never had to wash your bed sheets again?" The "Just peel off the ew and sleep in the new" is the tag line of AfreSHeet. If you'd like to read about it from a Home Decor site, go here: http://www.elledecor.com/shopping/home-accessories/news/a6230/peel-away-sheets/ [Link is inactive]

I wouldn't hardly call this an invention, but they seem to think that the hassle of changing your bed sheets is especially troublesome for college students, etc. These particular throwaway fabric sheets have a waterproof coating to preserve underneath layers, and they did mention that the material is recyclable. Ha! I really wonder how many people are going to rush to the nearest recycling bin after they get done peeling off a new layer?

Some people may think this is a fantastic idea, but I just don't get it. Washing the sheets on your bed isn't like some daunting task. The washer and dryer does most of the work, and all you do is pull 'em off and then put them back on after they dry. Is the traditional method too much work? With this new peel-away product, you can be lazy 7 consecutive times before having to buy more throwaway bed sheets. Wow! The only break-through I see here is the marketing savvy; promote laziness and make big financial gains from it! It just seems like a bad idea. Anyway, I would never buy this crap!

Update: I returned to this post a few years later to check for updates. I was going to add a video link from the original product page, but they not only closed the video, it said up above that the "campaign was closed." I wonder if it was simply a failed product? Well, I would think so! There was a comment on the video page (not linked from this post) that recommended that this throwaway product be marketed towards toddlers and little kids as opposed to grown college students. Good idea! In not exact words she roughly implied that it was something about peel-away sheets for a grown man's bed that made them seem a bit sketchy and perhaps come off like a possible man whore? Hmm, I can definitely see it from that angle... Ha-ha! 

---End of Update

Image Credit: Unfortunately, I have no image of this product nor do I want one. However, the image I used is free to share & use via Pixabay.com.

---End of Post "New Throwaway / Peel-Away Bed Sheets"

Bruce Lee Movies & Title Confusion

Well, this has been amusing... I have been trying to sort out some of the title confusion concerning Bruce Lee movies, and it was somewhat entertaining to read a few blog posts on the glorious Internet that obviously didn't know the difference from Bruce Lee and Bruce Li. I say that because some clown, for example, constructed a blog post entitled "Bruce Lee's Top 10 Movies." LOL! This is hilarious, especially considering he only made 5 movies! The other 5 that were listed were not even his films nor was he even in the shoddy flicks. A couple of them were just those cheap attempts from the '80s where they would use random Bruce Lee clips during a film to fill in some blanks while having a so-called look-alike character playing the main role. To make matters worse, the look-alike didn't look anything like Bruce Lee; ha!

As for the title confusion, some of this is understandable. His first movie was called "The Big Boss" and "Fists of Fury." His 2nd film was called "The Chinese Connection" and "Fist of Fury" and "The Iron Hand." His 3rd film was called "Return of the Dragon" and "Way of the Dragon." That is the one where he fought Chuck Norris. They did get his 4th film correct, as it was entitled "Enter the Dragon." That was by far his most popular movie. Bruce Lee never finished the 5th movie he was working on, since he died, but he did get a lot of the fight scenes done. They later pieced it together and made a movie out of it called "Game of Death." That was the one where he fought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Here is a quote from Wikipedia, to show how some of the confusion started: "When 'The Big Boss' was being prepared for American distribution, it was to be retitled The Chinese Connection. The title of Lee's second film, Fist of Fury, was to be identical, except for being Fists of Fury. However, the titles were accidentally reversed. The Big Boss was released as Fists of Fury and Fist of Fury became The Chinese Connection." You can read more about that, here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Boss

Anyway, is this nuts or what? I was going to describe in more detail about his 5 martial arts flicks, but after reading about all of this title confusion, I think I'm now confused... Ha-ha!

Image Credit: My own photo.

---End of Post "Bruce Lee Movies & Title Confusion"

Frequent dentist visits can cause more harm than good?

Update: I've recently added another post to the bottom of this one that talks about temporary dental fillings. The reason for this is because I deleted an old website of mine, so I'm combining some of the articles that are related to each other. 

---End of Update

Part 1: Frequent dentist visits can cause more harm than good?

Personally, I've always thought that the standard bi-annual visits to the dentist is not only a waste of time and money, but could also cause more harm than good. Even though many people think it's best to see your dentist every 6 months, I disagree for a few reasons. Of course, going to the dentist can be a great thing when you are having problems or just need a good oral checkup, but that's not what this post is about. I've seen way too many people end up with several cavities that brushed all the time and went to the dentist at least twice a year. All of those ultrasonic tools and metal scrapers can't be good, when used in a frequent fashion to remove plague, tartar, etc. In fact, I'm pretty sure that they actually create tooth decay/cavities/caries in some cases.

I do understand that genetics also plays a big role in this, along with certain types of medications, and so on.  Taking too many antibiotics is also well known for being bad for your oral health, for example. The food & drinks we consume can definitely have a major impact, as well. For the most part, if you eat right and brush your teeth every day, you should rarely have to go to the dentist (outside of chipped or cracked teeth), in my opinion. I also don't like how they constantly radiate people with oral x-rays any chance they can get during their bi-annual visits. Sure, a few here and there may not be so bad, but I wouldn't want to increase the risk of having thyroid problems either, as it is well established that radiation and your thyroid doesn't mix very well. If you feel the need, ask for the thyroid guard when receiving oral x-rays. I'm not talking about the vest thingy they often use; I mean the separate one that goes over your neck.

Another procedure at the dentist office that often does more harm than good is a root canal.  I have heard countless stories about those and how people regretted ever getting one. I've even had somebody in my family that had one of those procedures go bad, then they had to go back in and remove trapped bacteria, pump them full of antibiotics, etc. Plus, if you're on those antibiotics for too long (like months), then your entire intestinal flora gets out of whack which leads to all types of immune system and digestive problems, to say the least. Horror stories featuring root canals would take an entire post to properly cover that subject, so let's move forward...

Anyway, I just thought I'd bring this subject up. Personally, I try to stay away from those crazy dentists! Ha! If I can go a few decades without seeing one, that's fine with me! Plus, for the most part, unless you need loads of work done or plan on going to this drilling drudgery on a regular basis, dental insurance is not usually worth buying. So, what do you think? Is there anybody else out there that thinks frequent dentist visits can cause more harm than good?

Abusive and sadistic dentist photo credit: www.movievortex.com/feature/dental-disasters/ [URL is no longer valid]

Oh, to end this post, I will drop down a couple, semi-related posts below:

* Neolithic Trepanation

* Early Medical Advances

---End of Part 1: "Frequent dentist visits can cause more harm than good?"

Part 2:  "Buy ‘Temporary Dental Fillings’ Online"

If you’ve ever lost a dental filling, broke part of your tooth off, etc., and didn’t have the time or money to go see a dentist, this post may provide you with exactly what you’re looking for…

Several years ago, I went to the dentist, got my silly x-rays and was told how many cavities I had, what needed to be pulled, filled, and so on.  Well, this particular dentist didn’t fix anything (outside of pulling) unless it showed up on an x-ray.  So, here’s what happened:  One particular jaw tooth had a couple areas that needed filling but was at the brink of another cavity on the side, although it didn’t show up on the x-ray.  Well, a few months later, by the time it came to getting that tooth fixed, he filled the other areas but left the hole that was forming on the side of that tooth and worked around it because ‘technically” it didn’t show up on the x-ray during my first appointment there!  WTF?

So, as the years went by, the cavity got worse and although that jaw tooth was filled everywhere else, the cavity that he “worked around” finally got so deep, that the tooth broke off (half of it) one day while I was eating some yummy hot wings.  Then, about year-and-a-half later, that bastard started hurting pretty bad.  I would have pain for a couple days, then it would subside, flare up again, go away for a few, come back, etc.  Now, I’m on an online search for temporary dental fillings, and I think I’m in luck.

Oh, I suppose one could say “why didn’t you just go back to the dentist and get your tooth fixed?”  Well, unlike some folks, I can’t stand dentists, doctors, or anybody else that pokes and probes at me while trying to prescribe me baloney pills for every possible ailment known to man.  I only go to those places when it is absolutely necessary, to say the least.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand:  I was at work one day, and got to thinking about how they surely, after all of these years of medical advancement and better medicine, have something on the market to act as a dental filling.  I was hoping to find something permanent, but I wasn’t surprised to only find a temporary fix.  I mean, hey, if people started fixing their own teeth, the dental industry would be screwed, for the most part.  Plus, if you don’t know what you’re doing, a person could easily give their self an oral infection along with other complications.  But I don’t care about all that other crap, as I just want to buy a damn product, temporary or not, that acts like dental fillings, once it hardens!

After reading several reviews along with listening to all the pros and cons about many of these types of products, I think I’ve found a good one.  Some people say it can last for at least a month or longer, and is not expensive at all, when looking at the “price per application” ratio.  The name of this dental bliss, is called “REFILIT.”  I’ll provide a shopping link, in a moment.

But first, here is its product description: “Refilit maximum strength filling material, cherry flavor exclusively for lost fillings. Instant pain relief. It has multiple applications. One step no mixing. Eugenol free. Refilit provides fast relief of pain and discomfort until you can see your dentist. Clinically tested, Refilit has a pleasant cherry taste, and is so safe and effective you can eat on it.”

Of course, you may want to browse through the entire selection to find exactly what you’re looking for, but personally, I’m going to buy the REFILIT stuff, and I may report back here in a few weeks, and provide my product review.  Okay, well, tooth aches are not fun, so maybe these products will be of great help for the ones out there searching for dentistry alternatives.  

Update: While the original product I first spoke about was decent, I found an even better (temporary) one that I have been using for a few years now. It has eugenol in it, which is excellent for antiseptic properties and pain relief from sensitive nerves, etc., and it is called "DenTek Temparin Max Repair Kit." A few years later, I also bought some more modern, semi-permanent filling material as well, but that stuff is only good for certain types of cavities that are in a location where there is an absence of constant friction, etc. 

---End of Update

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

Click Here’ to shop for ‘Temporary Dental Fillings’ Online!

Image Credit - Fair Use - Product Image - Amazon.com

---End of Part 2: "Buy ‘Temporary Dental Fillings’ Online"

---End of Post "Frequent dentist visits can cause more harm than good?"

Robotic Gas Pumps?

"Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, mata o hima de; Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, himitsu wo shiri tai. Thank you very much, oh Mr. Roboto!" Those were snippets from an old song that sort of relates to this post... LOL!

Anyway, I'm not that impressed with the technology for Robotic Gas Pumps, but I'm sure that some of y'all may like this idea. Before self-serve gas became commonplace, drivers used to pull up to the gas pump back in the day, and an attendant would fill your vehicle's fuel tank to whatever desired amount you asked for. In the future, this notion may once again be widespread, except the attendant will be some metallic, robotic arm. Yikes!

They are already pushing harder than ever for self-driving robotic (autonomous) cars and whatnot. There again, I'm not impressed with that idea, either. I understand that a fair percentage of Homo sapiens would be pleased if everything became automated. I will go out on a limb and say that most sentient human beings would still prefer to eat, drink, sleep and wipe their own ass on their own, but who knows? Ha-ha! What do you think about this?

I've heard that these Robotic Gas Pumps claim to save the user at least 30% in the time involved it takes to pump gas. They also think that they will come of great benefit during harsh weather conditions, when it's too cold, or whatever makes a person not want to get out of their car. Yeah, but what about when they malfunction or tear up? As most of us know, the more mechanical parts you have on something, the more likely something is going to wear out or break.  The more technical and computer-dependent something is, the more chances for a glitch, as well? Either way, I'm not sold on this idea. I think the economics of this disturbs me more than anything. I mean, it just looks like it would be really costly and take a long time to pay for itself - assuming it would bring more business to your gas station and whatnot.

Anyway, the YouTube video for these robotic gas pumps is located here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bZ2u5UnApA  

As you can tell, that video seems to have a good percentage of thumbs down votes, so maybe there is still hope for mankind after all. Oh, another thing I noticed about that YouTube video is that they have closed the comment field so nobody can share their thoughts. Hmm, I wonder why? Ha!

Image Credit: Free to use & share via Pixabay.com

---End of Post: Robotic Gas Pumps?

Sci-Fi Style Car - ETV

I just read a short article about some new custom-made, sci-fi style car that was called an ETV. Well, we got RVs, SUVs, and automobiles with TVs, so why not add ETV into the mix? They call it that because it stands for "Extra Terrestrial Vehicle." I was hoping that I'd be impressed, but all expectations fell short when I seen the pictures, watched the test-drive video, and read about the massive price tag this car has. This space-age vehicle supposed to be some type of conglomeration from multiple vehicles, going by what the custom builder Mike Vetter said. Well, to me, it definitely looks like a conglomeration alright, one that unites a bunch of space turds and random chunks of delicate alloys; ha-ha!

Sure, it has 270 horsepower with a tiny supercharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine that supposed to get close to 26 miles per gallon, but that's definitely not worth $100,000 dollars to me! Plus, the thing is a manual. I prefer an automatic because, well, I prefer an automatic. But the wrongness doesn't stop there, when concerning this outrageous price tag. The thing is so low to the ground, it would probably get stuck on freakin' speed bumps and encounter damage from little rocks in the road. During the video, it seemed to bottom-out while making a simple turn. Say what? I'd hate to be in this vehicle if I had to drive on back-wooded country roads. Plus, who is going to help you when you get stuck, while driving that? I can see a group of rednecks driving by laughing, throwing beers cans at the vehicle and yelling out: "Ha, ha! Look at the little rich space boy all stuck in the ditch with his sissy ETV!" Either way, some of y'all may like that car, but it is not for me!

Image Credit: I cropped the image from autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/america-oddest-sci-fi-custom-land-driveway-price-220752465.html

Update: It's been several years since I originally posted this, so I went online to look for updated ETV cars, etc. Well, it doesn't seem like there is a specific year model to keep up with.  By what I gather, it is just a "custom built" kind of thing where a person can go pick out designs, draw ideas, etc., and have it built. Currently, it looks like a company called "MTV Concepts Inc." is who provides these services. It isn't limited to this Sci-Fi style of vehicular madness, as they make all kinds of cool designs.  The website is at drawingtodriving.com if you're interested, got the money, and have some nifty ideas for a new version of transport. I think these are all ground-based, though, as we have already covered the flying cars thing; ha! ---End of Update

---End of Post "Sci-Fi Style Car - ETV"

Can you imagine a society full of flying cars?

Can you imagine that?
With the potential drivers I see out there, this is hard to fathom for me, when concerning a society full of flying cars. The actual idea of flying cars is not that far-fetched, as we already have models that do just that, albeit they are not very impressive. I mean, cars with big wheels that look like airplanes with retractable wings, is hardly what I'd call a flying car.

Plus, we must raise money for each city that has these levitating contraptions for this to be possible, so we'll definitely need "flying cops" so they can fly us some tickets for our traffic violations, right? I'm still thinking of all the idiot drivers I see on the road today, as it would be horrific to see them in the air; ha-ha! My gawd! On second thought, this is not a good idea... If you have collisions in the air, you do realize that they will have to land somewhere, right? Well, I guess the house insurance rates will be one of the first things to go up after a few crash-landings occur from airborne lunatic drivers, I suppose.

Will your car insurance be different, as well?  I mean, do you have to take out a separate aerial insurance policy or do your rates simply double if you go from ground to air, etc.? 

What about drunk drivers? Instead of a DUI will it be called an FUI (flying under the influence)? What about the EPA? Will the Environmental Protection Agency declare a national emergency if people start flying into birds, etc. Better yet, will the animal activist groups try to ban our flying cars from society?  Enough of this nonsense... Anyway, I attached an image of the flying DeLorean from the movie "Back to the Future: Part 2."

Image Credit: mundane-blog.blogspot.com/2011/10/flying-cars-in-future.html

Update: Well, at the time of this update it is now almost (11-4-21) the year 2022 and there is still no signs of these type of soaring vehicles entering mass production any time soon. In fact, I'm yet to see a single one in my area.  To top it off, the price of used ground-based cars, trucks, SUVs, etc., have all went way up this year due to economic issues. I don't even want to think about the price of new vehicles right now. As for aerial transportation, all I see is the usual planes and helicopters along with the occasional UFOs piloted via space aliens; ha! ---End of Update

---End of Post "Can you imagine a society full of flying cars?"

Should Car Insurance be a Law?

This is actually a highly debatable topic, and I can definitely see both sides to the argument, but I'll get to that in a minute. Anyway, I was online searching what other people thought about this subject, and it is definitely heated - to say the least! This popped into my enlarged head earlier, when I was checking my PayPal balance this morning, and noticed that it was almost equivalent to my 6 month Liability Insurance bill for my freakin' ride - that is due next week! Yeah, I can't wait to celebrate my recent online earnings by way of buying more car insurance... Hurray! Hurrah! If I ever get my flying saucer fixed, they can forget about it; ha!

Now, back to the main subject... In a way, I don't think it should be mandatory or a law that mandates you to buy car insurance or else. I've had my parked car hit before by a person that didn't have insurance, and my insurance paid for my ride (I had full coverage, at the time). They just took it out of her ass, most likely. Either way, her lack of responsibility didn't affect me. The problems start if, using this example, she didn't have any insurance and I only had liability insurance to cover the other people/property damage, etc. What would I have done? I mean, she might not have liked my idea of compensation for my damaged vehicle, nor would she have most likely offered to pay for it out-of-pocket. Things could have got ugly.

On the other hand, if everybody was made to have, at the very minimum, Liability Insurance, we wouldn't have these problems. Another example in favor of why it shouldn't be a law, is if somebody lives extremely close to work, only drives direct trips in a small town with minor traffic, and needs to skip a few months on Insurance because they simply can't afford it and are living check-by-check. I know, that is a sad excuse, but it does seem odd that a human being couldn't "risk it" if they needed to. Sometimes people have to take chances.

In my state, there is a Law that requires everybody to have insurance to be road legal. To me, something just doesn't feel right about it, but like I said before, I can see both sides. I'm curious how many of y'all feel about this issue. Personally, I'm going to moan and groan and pay my damn liability car insurance next week, and hope I don't ever have to use it!

Image Credit: Free to use & share via Pixabay.com

---End of Post "Should Car Insurance be a Law?"

There should not be a Seat Belt Law for Adult Drivers...

In my opinion, this is one of the most asinine, money-making driving laws known to man! Sure, one could say: "Seat belt tickets don't cost much; they care about your life, so you need to buckle up so you don't die in a wreck." LOL! What a load... For one, the seat belt law allows "officers" to pull you over for no apparent reason, hoping that they can fine/bill your wallet to death while making them look like super heroes bringing in money for their town. Speaking of that, maybe this is a small town thing, where there isn't much crime... Yeah, the seat belt saved my life going 22 miles per hour through town, but thanks for pulling me over so you could search my vehicle in hopes to find an old beer can I drank while installing my stereo 3 months ago! Yeah, there is no marijuana in my cigarette pack, so why are you looking in there for my seat belt violation? Ha!

Anyway, I have been pulled over so many times for a seat belt, that it isn't even funny. Out of those 17 times getting pulled over for a seat belt violation, I have only had 2 tickets for it, and one of those was dropped. However, I was searched thoroughly multiple times, including my vehicle and "no officer, that is not a gun, it just grew that way!" At any criminal rate, I could tell you so many ludicrous situations that involved the "I care about your safety crap," but I refuse to do so. I have even been pulled over before, during the middle of the night on a dark road, while the officer said, after searching my entire ride: "Well, it didn't appear you had your seat belt on, is why I pulled you over." Really? You can see in the dark on a backstreet without street lights soooo good, that you could tell that I didn't have my seat belt on even though I was already wearing it?" Simply amazing, I tell ya...

I can definitely see having a seat belt law for babies, small kids and young adults/teenagers, but not for grown adults 18+. It is fairly obvious to me that the "buckle up for safety thing" is one giant load of steaming dung, as it just adds leverage to the reasons to pull people over for no reason. The proof is in the pudding and I've seen it way too many times. Plus, are you that naïve that you actually believe that some group of random judicial strangers cares about your crazy adult life while driving down the road? Ha! Yeah, you'd find more love on the Jerry Springer show... Anyway, make sure you buckle up to TRY and avoid getting pulled over for no reason or, I mean, for safety, right?

Image Credit: www.simonattorneys.com

---End of Post "There should not be a Seat Belt Law for Adult Drivers..."

V2V: Vehicle-to-Vehicle Technology

Now here is an upcoming technology that really steps it up a notch. It is called V2V and/or vehicle-to-vehicle technology. It is where all the new cars/trucks/SUVs being manufactured could be equipped with a device(s) and/or gear that will enable it to talk to other vehicles on the road to reduce vehicular crashes and to help motorists avoid traffic jams. WTF? Is this really necessary?

I'm not even a fan of the autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars), but the V2V technology will most likely play an important role in such things. However, a lot of newer models have already increased their safety levels, as stated here: "A growing number of cars and trucks are already fitted with forward collision warning systems, lane departure systems and other technologies that can alert a driver to a potential collision. Some vehicles can even apply brakes automatically if the driver doesn't respond quickly enough." To read more about this, go here: editorial.autos.msn.com/feds-want-vehicles-to-talk-to-one-another?icid=autos_5261 [link is no longer active]

Interestingly enough, a recent poll said that 9 out of 10 Americans would be very worried or deeply concerned about driving in an automatic self-driving vehicle. About 35% said that this type of technology also makes them leery about privacy issues and whatnot. When it comes to privacy, it wasn't just about the government, either. Insurance companies could also track where and how you drive, so I'd imagine that they could adjust your insurance rates/payments accordingly; yikes!

All in all, I just don't like this idea. I'm so glad that I prefer older vehicles with primitive technology. When I want high-tech travel, I just hop into my spaceship; ha!

Image Credit:  http://www.industryleadersmagazine.com/connect-vehicle-technology-to-prevent-vehicle-crashes/

Update: It has been nearly 7 years since I originally wrote this post, and I still continue to hear about occasional wrecks and malfunctions from these asinine autonomous vehicles. I also still feel the same way as I did a few years ago, with that being how I prefer older vehicles; ha! Currently, though, the prices on used automobiles has went through the roof due to other national, economic disasters, but we won't get into that on this blog. I almost feel like a time traveler coming back to this silly post, as it is nearly the year 2022 (11-3-21) while I'm typing this. 

Now back to the subject, this society is still hugely into acronyms and all of that, but zoom 7 years into the future and I still never hear anybody talking about V2V technology. Was all that previous hoopla & ballyhoo about V2V a misnomer or something?  Oh, well, maybe that's why this post never got any search traffic.  I mean, seriously, who in the hell is searching about V2V hooey? LOL! ---End of Update

---End of Post "V2V: Vehicle-to-Vehicle Technology"

Semi-related Post: Power (Automatic) Windows vs. Manual (Hand Crank) Roll-Up

Norton Anti-Virus Price vs. McAfee [vs. AVG]

Well, I've had the Norton Anti-Virus software protection package for several years on my computer, but I finally had to drop them a few days ago. The sole reason was because it just flat out costs too much money for my liking. For some reason, although I had the auto-renew feature activated and paid it every year, the price slowly went up all the time and/or basically each year.
The last year I somehow got enrolled into Norton One protection, whatever the big whoop is there. Anyway, regular price is nearly 150 bucks, but the sale price is about 100 dollars and it covers multiple devices, computers and other crap I don't need. I cancelled them.
So, to make a short story even shorter, I went to the McAfee Anti-Virus website and got a plan for one computer for 25 dollars. I only visit so many websites anyway, and figured it was worth saving 75 dollars! Is it any better or worse than Norton? I have no idea. As long as it covers Viruses and Malware, Trojans, etc., I'm fine with paying a lower price. If you know of any better deals for anti-virus protection, feel free to clue me in; cheers!

Side Note:  This short post was originally posted elsewhere and within the comment field it garnered several comments.  Some of those comments mentioned that there were several sites online that offered free Anti-Virus protection.  Dang, next year I may drop McAfee, even though it was way more affordable than Norton, and be on the lookout for some free stuff; ha!

Update: Dang this post is old... I typed this crap years ago. Anyway... Well, after another year with McAfee I also dropped them and went with AVG. I used the free version of this for a few years and I just recently got the paid version of AVG last year - although I'm not sure how much more benefit that really was.  Either way, AVG Internet Security doesn't slow down my computer the way Norton and McAfee always did, so I'm very happy about that. ---End of Update

Image Credit: AVG Anti-Virus Internet Security 2015 product image using the 'free to use & share' function via the Bing search engine.

---End of Post "Norton Anti-Virus Price vs. McAfee [vs. AVG]"

Fukushima's Radioactive Ocean Water: Hyped Up or Real Threat?

Original Post Date: February 25, 2014

There has been a lot of talk on the Internet about Fukushima's radioactive ocean water during the last several months, yet many of the so-called experts are yet to throw in the red flag or the caution signs as they all seem to think that it's still safe. Is this all getting hyped up by the Internet or is it a real threat? As most of you should know, tons and tons of radiation leaked into the Pacific Ocean a while back due to Japan's leaking Fukushima nuclear power plant. As a reminder, I just read that it has now reached waters off the shore of Canada, as stated here: local.msn.com/fukushimas-radioactive-ocean-water-arrives-at-west-coast [link is no longer active]

Does anybody want to stock up on tuna fish and any other type of seafood from the Pacific before it's too late? Well, I must say, regardless of the fact that high doses of radiation is never good for the human body - especially your thyroid gland - I can't rule out the hype. I've seen so much crap explode and propagate online that was so far from the truth, it wasn't even funny. Since we are obviously dealing with radioactive ocean water, the question still remains: Will the Pacific Ocean be big enough to dilute this crap? Experts continue to say yes, but I'll be fair and provide a couple YouTube links that don't seem to think so, then another one that involves the fish constantly being checked, yet they haven't had a radioactive seafood problem as of now.

* www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEraoeS7iBo [link is no longer active]
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l8TT1dv-PM [link is no longer active]
* www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHoFSXh9Ejk [link is no longer active]

As of now, the ones that are supposedly 'in the know' are saying that the radiation levels will be too low in the ocean to have any real negative impact on human health, but who do you believe? The hype or the threats?

Side Note: South Korea has recently become the first country to ban Japanese fish and seafood imports!

Update: It seems that nearly all of these dang links have become inactive a few years after I originally wrote this short blog post.  What happened? Did their URLs get nuked, as well? Ha! Either way, life is still apparently moving forward, albeit in a slightly altered fashion, most likely... 

---End of Update 

Image Credit: Free to use & share via Pixabay.com

---End of Post "Fukushima's Radioactive Ocean Water: Hyped Up or Real Threat?"