(no subject)

[emerald_skies]

The most hilarious thing I learned today:

Athletes think bee pollen is a helpful nutritional supplement. BEE POLLEN. I'm not even making this up.



Where do people come up with this crap?!

Also, did one of you try to add me on Skype recently? I got a request from a username I didn't recognize and it's fine if it was one of y'all, just try again and tell me who you are, okay? It's nothing personal, I'm just sort of really irrationally paranoid.

In the mean time, for those who are still catching up on it, some helpful links to the previous parts of Le Batfic:

Part 9
Part 10
The first half of Part 11 (with new improved preview feature!)

And also this

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"Look back, and smile on perils past..." -- Walter Scott

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Cheers.

Mind blown moment: I just realized a serious problem with The Bible (wait wait I KNOW, hear me out)...

So God created Adam and Eve, who gave birth to Cain and Abel. And yet, Cain and Abel each wind up married somehow despite the fact that, as far as I know, The Bible doesn't mention the spontaneous creation of any other people or of Eve giving birth to any daughters.

Any theology wonks want to help me out with this one? Solved by the lovely and amazing jean_iris

Comments

[eph-inspiration.livejournal.com]

Athletes think bee pollen is a helpful nutritional supplement. BEE POLLEN. I'm not even making this up.



WTF, seriously. What is this shit? Tell me that this is some mass-prank that we've missed out on.

[emerald-skies.livejournal.com]

LMAO, no, unfortunately they seem to be completely serious. Sadly, there aren't any studies supporting claims of how helpful it is, and it can actually in fact be harmful. Quoting my Sports Nutrition textbook here:

"Pollen is often referred to as the perfect food or complete food, and manufacturers claim that it improves endurance, reduces free-radical damage, aids in weight control, increases longevity, and prevents asthma. But no reliable information exists to prove its effectiveness as an ergogenic aid. Based on the available information on supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, ergogenic effects would not be expected. One study (Chandler et al. 1984) in which the effect of bee pollen supplementation was investigated showed no influence on maximal oxygen uptake, exercise performance, or metabolism. Bee pollen can be harmful for people who are allergic to specific pollens."

Long story short, BASIC NUTRITIONAL LOGIC suggests that it shouldn't help, and yet people still think it does. I can't even.

(Fun fact: fish oil doesn't do anything either)

[eph-inspiration.livejournal.com]

Long story short, BASIC NUTRITIONAL LOGIC suggests that it shouldn't help, and yet people still think it does. I can't even.

Perfect example of how people can be as stubborn as mules, and just how gullible others are. Even without that quote from your book, all I could think of such a claim was, "Yeah, no. That doesn't sound plausible at all."


(Fun fact: fish oil doesn't do anything either)

Not that I take the stuff anyway, but what the hell is it about all that omega-3 whatever acids that doctors go on about? Really, I'm starting to wonder how much of these "recommended" things are truth and how much is bullshit.

[emerald-skies.livejournal.com]

Perfect example of how people can be as stubborn as mules, and just how gullible others are.

I think some of that comes from how dazzled people are by degrees -- put an M.D. or PhD. after your name and suddenly people will listen to anything you say, even if it's 100% bullshit.

Really, I'm starting to wonder how much of these "recommended" things are truth and how much is bullshit

Well, that depends on your definition of truth vs. bullshit. Some studies on a given supplement deliver mixed results and thus mixed conclusions (for example, it might not do what people originally claimed but also presents an unexpected side benefit), but yeah, that's a good thing to ask yourself.

Another problem is the unreliable nature of some studies. They can be completely fabricated, come from non-peer-reviewed journals (which basically let you post anything instead of letting a board of qualified professionals examine it first), or be based on experiments with cells or animal subjects rather than people.

...

....

Oh God I'm such a huge nerd. I hope your eyes aren't glazing over, I'll shut up now XD

[eph-inspiration.livejournal.com]

Oh God I'm such a huge nerd. I hope your eyes aren't glazing over, I'll shut up now XD

Actually, you sounded like the Chemistry professor I had two years ago. Luckily, I was always able to get everything he said, and it was actually hard to be bored with him or something like that.

No, seriously. :)

[pau494.livejournal.com]

Bee pollen? WTAF.

Those links are most helpful! :DDD

Dude, I'd love to add you on Skype! Flailing at my computer screen and having someone see it makes it so much more fun. I only have one LJ friend on there and sometimes we talk for hours!

[emerald-skies.livejournal.com]

Add away (I'm seraph_42), just remind me who you are so I'm not like "GAH THE GOVERNMENT IS COMING AFTER ME" or something :P

[jean-iris.livejournal.com]

Alright, on the Bible problem:

I'm no expert, but from what I figured/heard/read/discussed with more competent people,

1. the whole description of Genesis is symbolic. One is not supposed to take anything literally: be it the seven days of creation, the apple, the snake - whatever. It's all symbols, used by the supposedly God-inspired writer to convey certain concepts God intended people to know, only using the means they would actually understand or at least try to wrap their minds around. Thus, Adam and Eve are most likely not the very first two individuals who appeared out of thin air, but symbolic representations of the beginnings of homo sapiens. Cain and Abel are not two sons of two parents, but symbols of the first conflict between people (even if they actually existed, they might've not even been brothers as such. The translation from Hebrew into Latin and then into all the other languages must've been tricky);

2. even if you take Adam and Eve literally, I believe the Bible does not clearly state that Cain and Abel were their only children. A lot of such details are confusing. Heck, the Gospels claim that Jesus had siblings - it's probably the subtleties of translation mixed with the specifics of that culture, but still.

Did that make any sense?

[emerald-skies.livejournal.com]

So indeed I did miss something. That does make sense!

OH, you might actually be able to answer another theological question I've always had.

Are Satan and Lucifer two different beings? Or does it depend on the translation/denomination? I'm familiar with the whole fallen archangel story, I'm just not exactly clear on where it's placed in relation to Adam and Eve, if that makes any sense.

[jean-iris.livejournal.com]

They're one and the same being. To cut the long story short, the angel named Lucifer (which as you're probably aware means Light-bearer, not exactly a devilish name ;P) has fallen out of God's grace and was henceforth known as Satan. The names (I think) are interchangeable, but yeah, still the same guy.

[emerald-skies.livejournal.com]

Huh, so I've just been getting the chronology mixed up all this time. Fuck yeah for learning new things! \o/

[jean-iris.livejournal.com]

Well, the fall of Lucifer was obviously before Adam and Eve, since he was the one to sell Eve on that apple ;)

I'm always in for Bible-related discussions. Religious crises aside, I could at least put the last 22 years to use ;) So should you have any more questions, you know where to find me.

[emerald-skies.livejournal.com]

Well, initially my logic was that Satan could have existed first and used pride to tempt Lucifer. But, then again, tempting Eve would be pretty sweet revenge for a deposed archangel, so now I just feel silly. Thanks for being so patient!

[jean-iris.livejournal.com]

The explanation is that before Lucifer's original mutiny, God was the only power in the perfect universe - there was no evil, no disagreement, no punishment, because there was no notion or awareness of evil. With the mutiny started the evil, and Satan began to tempt people to defy God - Eve first - basically to piss off God and get souls on his side. He doesn't have any of the power God has - he's still technically an angel - so he can only try and convince people to act on their free will against God.

And really, no problem ;)