Research, recommend, review

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by surreptitious, May 24, 2009.

  1. surreptitious

    surreptitious Level III

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    Okay, so I'm kind of bored, and there's nothing that I like better than posting something that's a little tl;dr.
    Maybe this will take off, and maybe it will flop completely. Who knows?

    Anyway, I thought that I'd offer my services as an insufferable know it all and a chronic blabbermouth to anyone who's looking for something. I know that Google exists and it'd probably be quicker, but this way you get a reliable source (err, *cough*) who's at least semi-literate to do the work for you.

    So I suppose that I'll explain what I'm doing before anyone falls asleep. Basically, if you want a list of good first date movies to watch with someone who is deathly petrified of cats and becomes nearly catatonic (I crack myself up) at the sight of them, you ask me for one. If you think that you have lupus and don't know whether of not you should be calling a doctor, I can tell you everything that there is to know about lupus. Including the fact that it's never lupus, silly. If you want to know whether a certain movie is worth watching, I'll give you a brief summary and then watch it, (or will have possibly already seen it) read other reviews and then write up a more detailed review. If you're trying to come up with an essay topic for your Roman History class and can't decide whether to explore the significance of trees in Vergil's writing or the complexity of the bathhouses, then I probably won't be much help because I'll tell you to do the first one for sure, but I can give you a general idea of what you'd be dealing with if you took either subject.

    I'm good with music, movies, novels and medical conditions, but if you want to ask me what kind of clothing you should be packing to take on a Tibetan vacation in mid-August so that you're comfortable but still fashionable, then go for it.

    If you have nothing to do but make me suffer by researching mothballs, then you're welcome to do that too.
     
  2. Freya

    Freya Level III

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    I suppose you want something for your services...
     
  3. surreptitious

    surreptitious Level III

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    To rule the world.
    Give me power, plz.


    Nah, I'm just bored. I like researching and ranting about things, and I love sharing my opinion, especially when it's beneficial to others. :)
     
  4. Dreamerz

    Dreamerz Level III

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    your good with medical conditions? lol ok Ive done the google thing with no help so maybe you can. I'm in my third trimester of pregnancy and lucky to have the wonderful symptom of swelling feet, elevating doesn't seem to help a lot or even coolness and heat makes it a million zillion times worse not sure what I can do to help its not like I can take a fluid pill of any sort where I am pregnant and all I have been told is I may need to deal with it until the baby is born but its a pain in the butt. lol now you can research :p
     
  5. surreptitious

    surreptitious Level III

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    I know that the best way to relieve edema during pregnancy is to rest on your left side, because it helps to relieve pressure on your veins. And to retain less water, you have to - surprisingly - drink a lot of water. It helps to flush your system. You should make sure that you take short walks every hour of two: (except when you're sleeping, of course. Don't get up in the night or anything) nothing too serious, it just helps keep your blood flowing. Try to avoid salt as much as possible, because that also cuts down on the amount of water that you retain. At the same time, make sure you're snacking a lot. (I know, I can't make up my mind, can I?) because then you'll feel less tired and your body won't think that it has to store as much energy. You want to use the nutrients right away rather than pack them away for later. :) I'd tell you to avoid alcohol, but I'm pretty sure that that would be redundant of me. ^^ Make sure that you're getting lots of B-vitamins (I know that that seems elementary, but you never know). There are a lot of natural diuretics out there that shouldn't conflict with your pregnancy: cranberry juice, green tea and lots of delicious-sounding plants, like dandelion (this is actually a really good one. if you don't want to eat the leaves in salads or something, you can buy dandelion capsules) and fennel. If you don't feel comfortable drinking a lot of water or you already drink a lot of water, foods with high water content are easy to integrate into your diet as well - lettuce, watermelon and carrots, for example. It's tricky because you don't want to undernourish yourself, but if you can snack constantly rather than eat spaced-out meals, then that helps cut down on water retention too.

    I'm going to look into some other things and then edit this post, but I figure that I might as well put this up now so that you can tell me that I'm an idiot and you already know all this if that's the case. =)

    Edit: If you don't mind going back to your doctor or talking to a pharmacist, grape seed oil is fabulous antioxidant support and helps relieve swelling, but I don't know anything about what kind of dosage you would be wise to take while pregnant. I would recommend ginger in very low doses, as this helps too. If you have Aloe Vera gel, for sun burns etc, then I suggest using it on your ankles at the end of the day, as it also reduces swelling naturally.
    I really hope that you're not one of those people who doesn't believe in herbal remedies, because the Aunt that I called to ask about this is a big supporter. :) Drinking herbal teas is a good way to stay hydrated, and if you have the patience to be able to talk to someone who works at a natural remedies store, then I would highly suggest checking this out, because I'm sure that there are some diuretics that my aunt and I haven't thought of, and that's the best way to find out the correct dosages to take.

    I hope that this helps, and just let me know if you need a different route or want any kind of expansion on something.
     
  6. Dreamerz

    Dreamerz Level III

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    Ok a few things i haven't tried but will, the sleeping on the left side its the right foot worse then the left but baby like left side so sometimes can be hard, as for getting up in the night um well lol when you are pregnant you need to pee more often lol but other then that I pretty much sleep all night, I do take plenty of short walks but the salt i can decrease more and increase water... I just thought water would increase swelling....

    Now as for green tea and herbal things I would be afraid because from what doctors have said some herbalthings can hurt/ kill baby while pregnant so i would need tons more info on that before taking that route.

    But thank you I will try sleeping more on my left side, limiting my salt some more and oddly enough drinking more water ^^
     
  7. surreptitious

    surreptitious Level III

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    Sleeping on either side is good, it's just that the vena cava is a primarily right-sided structure and so it's best to sleep on your left. I know that that's not the easiest thing in the world to do, but it does help. :) It's true that some herbal things can be unsafe for unborn babies, but there are also lots of pregnancy teas and things of that strain that contain particular herbs that are beneficial and very unlikely to cause any complications. But that's why I mentioned that last - because if you're going to pursue herbal anything, the best route is to research it a bit yourself (there are loads of lists with respect to what is safe and what isn't during pregnancy on the internet, I can find you a couple of different resources if you think that you might be interested) and then talking to a professional who has the kind of career where that knowledge is pertinent.
    =)
     
  8. jamesfroe

    jamesfroe Level II

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    My, you're a cheap prostitute! Selling services for free! Haha kidding. Thanks for helping us all out.

    What about some sort of all time action/comedy/great movies in general list for someone thats bored out of their mind =]?

    Also, since you seem to be great at medical research, I was wondering if you had any advice to help with something called keratosis pilaris? I'm not quite sure if this is exactally what I have, but so far the symptoms seem to be matching. Thanks!
     
  9. kamipride102

    kamipride102 Newbie

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    I just watched "Saving Private Ryan" yesterday (for the 10th time or so) and I said to myself, "You know, there really is no good war movie that can capture the reality of war like Saving Private Ryan does." Do you agree with this?
     
  10. surreptitious

    surreptitious Level III

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    Comedy
    Van Wilder [14A (though I suggest the unrated version)]; Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid - The most popular kid at college, Van Wilder, has been there for seven years. He spends his time throwing parties and making friends. His father refuses to pay his tuition anymore, so Van Wilder becomes a professional party thrower. Gwen gets assigned to write a piece on him for the school paper, but he ignores her so she writes a very unflattering article, prompting him to challenge her to learn the true story. This is one of my favorite movies and the first thing that popped into my head when you asked for comedy. Just warning you, though, it's not exactly "docile" comedy.

    The Longest Yard (the remake) [PG-13]; Adam Sandler, Chris Rock - Paul Crewe, ex-football star, winds up in a Texan prison when he's requested as an inmate by the warden after a drunk driving incident. The warden wants Paul to provide tips on training the guards' football team, and he suggests a tune-up game. The warden, delighted, proposes that Paul assemble a team of convicts to lose badly to the guards and give them the boost of confidence that they'd need to do well in the season. Unfortunately, the team starts to get good and the warden starts to get worried. I actually went to theatres to see this movie (which is huge for me. I hate sitting still that long), and it's my favorite Adam Sandler movie. To be honest, I basically suggest any of Adam Sandler's movies from before this one - Happy Gillmore, Mr. Deeds, The Waterboy... ugh, I'm going to have to make another description for that movie. I think that I'll have to start making these shorter or it's going to be too late by the time I post it.

    The Waterboy [PG-13]; Adam Sandler, Henry Winkler - Adam Sandler plays Bobby Boucher, a sheltered Mama's boy who's been a waterboy for years. When it's discovered that he has a particular talent for sacking the quarterback, he ends up playing on a team. I think that I just love Adam Sandler.

    Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail [PG]; Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle - I'm not even going to describe this one. If you haven't seen it and you don't watch it, you haven't lived and cannot redeem yourself from your life of mediocrity. Low-budget British hilarity (the best kind) retells the search for the Holy Grail. I can't even recall how many times I've watched this one.

    Zoolander [PG-13]; Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson - Derek Zoolander loses out as the male model of the year and feels that his life is falling apart because of it. The evil fashion guru Mugato hires Zoolander, who subsequently thinks that his life must be turning around, only to find out that he's been brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
    Okay, I'm going to post this as is so that I have some kind of idea whether or not it's what you're looking for and give you something to do (hopefully) while I edit in the rest of it. Oh, and just so you know, I thought of recommending you some rather unsavoury film that I haven't yet found (I have access to encyclopedia dramatica, it wouldn't have taken long) that incorporated turtles, a latex fetish and overweight Pterodactyl furries because of that prostitute crack. You're lucky I'm feeling nice. And too lazy to find something like that and make up a catchy description for it to make sure that you watch it. :)

    Action
    I'm not really sure if you're more in to Schwarzenegger type films or something with fast cars, so I'm going to post about both, because I'm pretty sure that that about covers the majority of my favorite movies that haven't already been posted and weren't put out by Disney.

    Fast & Furious [PG-13]; Paul Walker, Vin Deisel - If you haven't seen the first one, watch that! Incredible cars, undercover cops, pretty actors... what more could you possibly ask for? Don't bother with the second or the third, neither were very good. Anyway, in this one, Brian O'Conner and Dominic Toretto team up to bring down a heroin dealer (ooh, they've thrown in hard drugs! I love my life :)). It doesn't require any kind of serious thought, but it's a great movie if you're in the mood to relax and watch something exciting happen.

    Kill Bill [R]; Uma Thurman, David Carradine - I'm going to steal IMDB's summary from this one, because I'm not exactly sure what I want to say about it. "The Bride wakes up after a long coma. The baby that she carried before entering the coma is gone. The only thing on her mind is to have revenge on the assassination team that betrayed her - a team she was once part of." This is one role that I think Uma Thurman does phenomenally in. It's enough to make a misogynist's heart tremor.

    Æon Flux (that's right, I care enough to make the little grapheme) [PG-13]; Charlise Theron, Marton Csokas - This movie gets a bit of a bad rap because it's not all that feasible, but I think that if you consider it on a higher level that you'll find that it's so totally possible that it's scary. Besides, I just recommended you Kill Bill. Seriously. Anyway, Æon Flux is an assassin working for a secret group who are trying to overthrow the government. She is sent to kill the Chairman (in a totally feasible catsuit, I might add) and discovers that things may not always be what they seem (beat that cliché).

    V For Vendetta [14A]; Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving - Sci Fi thriller, blah blah blah. I can recite most of this movie by heart, including V's monologue, so you're not going to get much more from me than a stern WATCH IT.

    XXX [PG-13]; Vin Deisel, Samuel L. Jackson, Asia Argento - Yeah, that's right, I went there. Xander Cage is an extreme sports junkie picked up by the government and forced to infiltrate a group of Russian badasses who are making some kind of secret plot. If you watch the second one, you need a brain transplant. If you enjoy it, I'll do it for you, with a spoon.

    Fight Club [R]; Edward Norton, Brad Pitt - This is the only movie where I think that Brad Pitt is actually attractive. I think that every person in the world finds him attractive in this one. In my world, anyway. Sooo... A mild-mannered office worker and a dangerous, sexy soap salesman begin Fight Club, a secret organisation where a bunch of men get together and beat each other up to vent their aggression (I never said that it was the greatest idea, but it works for me. The idea, not bashing people across the head. Though I suppose that that works too). After some time, it becomes clear that there's something deeper going on in this cult-like group.

    Sin City [R]; a variety of cast members - Different stories from the town of Basin City. Done in black and white with certain color highlights, it's really interesting to watch. And Elijah Wood (that's right, he's a hobbit, people) actually kinda gives me chills in this one. Fairly graphic, I suppose, but also rather interesting.
    Still editing.
    Must-sees
    Donnie Darko [R (but it's undeserving)]; Jake Gyllenhaal - Jake Gyllenhaal plays the very troubled Donnie Darko, a teen who suffers from visions of a giant bunny rabbit telling him that the world is going to end. Frank, the rabbit, encourages him to act on his impulses and manipulates him into committing violent acts. If you think that The Catcher In The Rye has a cult following, you haven't seen anything yet.

    Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels [R]; Jason Flemyng, Jason Stratham (if you want something mindless and terrible to enjoy, try Crank I & II. Both of them fascinated me in their medical inaccuracies and entertained me with their "ooh, look, stuff's blowing up!"-itude) - It's your classic British gangster film: four regular men pool their money to participate in a card game and end up with half a million in debt and only a week to pay their debt. I'd say it's pretty damn decent.

    The Lion King [G]; an incredible cast of deliciously talented actors. It's The Lion King! - Like I said. It's The Lion King. I don't care if you've seen it, watch it again. Srsly. Grr.

    Labyrinth [G]; David Bowie <3, Jennifer Connelly - Sarah, annoyed at having had to stay home and babysit, wishes away her little brother and must go on a journey to get him back from the Goblin King. David Bowie is really, really phenomenal in this film. Not that he's ever not absolutely fabulicious. Meow.

    Saving Private Ryan [R]; Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore - Now that it's been mentioned, I may as well comment on what a fabulous movie it is and recommend it to you. :) It's one of the best behind-enemy-lines type movies in existance, and follows a group of US soldiers on a mission to retrieve a paratrooper. Incredibly well-done and as close to a tear-jerker as you're going to get from me. Unless you're one of those people who gets all choked up watching that Lion King.

    Alright. So if you'd like more titles, let me know exactly what you're looking for, and I will recommend. But I think that I'm done summarizing for a bit. I wonder if it's possible to develop carpal tunnel in one sitting.
    ... Who am I going to ask? =(

    As for the keratosis pilaris - if you think that you've got it, then you probably do. It's very, very common - something like 40% of adults have it and up to 75% of teens. I'm assuming that you don't really want to know the causes, as they're not exactly reversible, so I'll skip straight the less fun part. There's not really much to say about it: it's basically goose bumps on your skin - most likely your upper arm - that never really go away. They can be reddish in color and are more visible in dryer air. The best way to treat is any kind of acne medication that has an active Tretinoin ingrediant - it reduces the production of keratin in your skin by causing cells to multiply rapidly. Corticosteroids have also been suggested as a form of treatment, but I'm not quite so sure about those, there seems to be less information on them. There's no "cure" per se. Exfoliation does help temporarily, but it's not permanent either.

    I haven't seen a single movie that is anywhere near as devastating (and I don't use that word only in terms of what happens to you if you try to play a drinking game with that film) as Saving Private Ryan. I don't need to group my movies into categories to be able to say that that is the one word that comes to mind when I think of it. Now, I've never experienced war first-hand, but if I were to base my definition of the term on any one film, that would be it. The filming is incredible, the way the colors are muted, the angles of the camera, the way the whole screen shakes as a handheld camera is moving with the actors... The fact that this movie condemns war as something that utterly destroys life and focuses on the individual sacrifice and the bravery of those individuals who have lived through a war is remarkable - I don't think that there's a single movie out there bar this one that can say the same. It's not particularly fancy or intricate, but the way that each character is captured so deeply and the whole movie explores them as people takes it to another level. Err, right.
    I think that that means that I agree. =)
     
    jamesfroe likes this.
  11. jamesfroe

    jamesfroe Level II

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    Thanks for the info! I first got a bit worried when the back/sides of my calves had hair that was as if it had been shaven/broken, even though I don't (and will never, I'm old fashioned and like having hair =/). I'm in shape and healthy and haven't had any medical problems before and it has been persistant for a few months, so I turned to google. I found out it could possibly be KP, but it's something I hadn't heard about before, so thanks for all the help. Looks like the future is bleak =[

    I glanced through your movie lists and a lot of them came back to mind as those movies I always heard about and wanted to see, but never got around to it and then forgot. I love your taste. Haha thanks for being nice and leaving out the unsavoury films, I appreciate it.