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And while we are at it, take off your hat indoors, pull up your pants, get rid of avocado toast, stop putting menus on blackboards, enough of trying to make football 'safer', quit posting pictures of food online, I don't want to hear about your 'feelings' snowflake, and go ahead and recline your airplane seat! It's still America up there! Greatest damn country on the planet!!!!! You are a caricature of every old, white guy in the US.

I should have clarified, what I meant are not tool uses, but the constant need to interact with it, even when there is no functional need. I started off with listing examples, but it got a little bit unfocused, so I am giving only one example for now: When there is any down time, even if it was for a minute or two, especially younger folks immediately grab their cell phones, not to look up or note down info for example, but searching for distractions (social media, videos, messages etc.). In cases where they are not allowed to, they get visibly upset and fidgety, not unlike smokers who are not able to get their smoking breaks. This extends to odd situations, for example if they are not able to follow training. I originally thought that they were looking up other instructions (rather than asking me directly) but as it turns out, they are actually looking at posts and videos to distract themselves. When confronted, they argument is that they are stressed out and needed something to feel better. This is is just a limited example, but the use of a cell phone as soothing mechanism (or to give a dopamine hit), even if detrimental on many levels and the need to use it, even in inappropriate situations and to their own detriments does have strong similarities to addictive behaviour. I will also add that we all know that the various engagement platforms use addiction-promoting algorithms and I do think that we are seeing associated behavioural patterns emerging because of that.

Maybe others have said enough, but I want to suggest that this kind of equivocation is removing clarity and precision from your postings here. Actual thought, aka cognition, is an emergent process in large networks of neurons, which opens up to holistic descriptions. This doesn't mean there are tiny thought processes in individual cells, or that cells have the same causal powers (in miniature) that sentient creatures do. This opens a trapdoor into panpsychism and metaphysical conjectures that are untestable pseudoscience. Remember, when a biologist uses a word like "communication" to refer to chemical interactions between organelles or between cells, it is a specialized usage that does not imply anything akin somewhat to thought . Or when a biochemist speaks of a reaction, it is no way like a person reacting to shocking news. Different functional levels may use the same nomenclature, but the terms refer in very different ways.

You can’t store all of those unique values if your discretization doesn’t allow it. The example shows 12 x values, but only 6 unique y values (though 9 are possible*, some data points have the same y value) It’s possible that there are 12 unique y values in the raw measurement, but only 6 are recorded. *100, 75, 50 25, 0, -25, -50, -75, -100

You buy vast quantities of meat, requiring a large fridge and chest freezer. While I don't want to discourage environmentalism, I would say that meat consumption and large appliances are an awkward fit. And the meat, eggs, etc sold at Sam's is cheap in part because it is produced in a way that pledges fealty to Monsanto and the eco-destructive cutting corners of Big Ag. It is not organic or free-range or anything else usually associated with environmentalism. He needs to be debriefed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewage_treatment "Increasingly, people use treated or even untreated sewage for irrigation to produce crops. Cities provide lucrative markets for fresh produce, so are attractive to farmers. Because agriculture has to compete for increasingly scarce water resources with industry and municipal users, there is often no alternative for farmers but to use water polluted with sewage directly to water their crops. There can be significant health hazards related to using water loaded with pathogens in this way. The World Health Organization developed guidelines for safe use of wastewater in 2006.[61] They advocate a 'multiple-barrier' approach to wastewater use, where farmers are encouraged to adopt various risk-reducing behaviors. These include ceasing irrigation a few days before harvesting to allow pathogens to die off in the sunlight, applying water carefully so it does not contaminate leaves likely to be eaten raw, cleaning vegetables with disinfectant or allowing fecal sludge used in farming to dry before being used as a human manure.[62]" While it is recommended that raw sewage not be used for crops, the WHO still has guidelines for doing so because in some places it is not practical to treat it first.

Cellular Communication Inspired by Jon Lieff: The Intricate Web of Cellular Communication From the irrelevant, dismissive and certified crackpot Cellular communication is far more intricate and sophisticated than we once imagined. Cells don’t operate in isolation; they constantly interact to regulate vital processes like growth, healing, and immune defense. This communication is crucial for maintaining homeostasis, enabling organisms to respond to environmental challenges, and ultimately ensuring survival. Key Insights: • Complex Communication: Cells communicate using a vast array of signaling methods that go far beyond just hormones or neurotransmitters. These signals include electrical impulses, mechanical forces, and even light signals (known as biophotons). For example, some cells communicate through electrical synapses that transmit signals at lightning speed, while mechano-transduction allows cells to sense and respond to physical forces in their environment. In the nervous system, biophotons may help neurons communicate with each other by synchronizing their activity. This multimodal communication allows cells to coordinate complex processes like cell development, immune responses and tissue repair. As a result, cellular communication is involved in the adaptation of organisms to changes in their environment, helping them navigate everything from nutrient availability to injury. • Cooperation: Cells often rely on cooperation to perform complex tasks, such as immune defense or tissue repair. This cooperation can occur within a single tissue, among different tissues, or between distinct cell types. For example, during wound healing, fibroblasts and immune cells must work together to restore tissue integrity, with fibroblasts generating new tissue and immune cells clearing infections. Similarly, cells communicate through cytokines, which are signaling molecules that enable immune cells to collaborate and mount a defense against pathogens. Without such coordination, even simple biological processes would break down. This cellular cooperation ensures that our bodies can handle complex, dynamic tasks like fighting infections, responding to injury, and maintaining organ function. • Collective Decision-Making: Cells, especially in the immune system, don’t just respond passively to stimuli. They actively "decide" based on shared signals. This concept of collective decision-making is critical for processes such as immune responses. Immune cells like T-cells and macrophages exchange chemical signals that influence whether they attack pathogens, produce inflammatory molecules, or activate other parts of the immune system. Another good example of collaborative decision-making in cells is during the development of multicellular organisms, particularly when forming tissues and organs. Cells need to communicate and work together to achieve common goals. In embryonic development, cells coordinate their actions based on signals from neighboring cells and their environment. As indicated, collaborative decision-making is key for complex physiological phenomena. Research into cellular decision-making processes also suggests that cells might even "know" when to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the organism—an example of programmed cell death or apoptosis in cancer suppression and immune responses. • Epigenetics and Adaptation: One of the most fascinating discoveries in biology is the role of epigenetics in cellular communication. External signals, including those from neighboring cells, the environment, or even microbiota, can activate or silence genes without altering the underlying DNA sequence. These modifications, like DNA methylation, allow cells to adapt to environmental changes in a flexible manner. For example, stem cells receive signals from their environment that direct them to become specific cell types, such as muscle, nerve, or skin cells, through epigenetic mechanisms. These changes don’t require a genetic mutation, allowing organisms to respond to challenges without permanently altering their genetic code. In essence, epigenetics represents a "memory" system that helps cells remember past signals and adapt future behavior accordingly. • The Brain-Body Connection: A growing body of research highlights the crucial role of the gut-brain axis—the communication system linking the gut and the brain. The gut sends signals to the brain through vagus nerve stimulation, hormones like ghrelin and leptin, and even neurotransmitters like serotonin. These signals can influence mood, cognition, and even stress responses. In return, the brain can modulate gut function, influencing digestion and immune responses. This bi-directional communication explains why gut health is so closely linked to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and even autism spectrum disorders. It suggests that cellular communication extends beyond isolated organs and systems, showing how intertwined the body's various processes truly are. • The Microbiome: The microbiome, consisting of trillions of microbes residing in and on our bodies, has a profound impact on cellular communication, particularly in areas like immune function, metabolism, and mental health. These microbes produce a variety of molecules—such as short-chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters, and vitamins—that influence the cells of the digestive tract, immune system, and brain. Recent studies reveal that gut microbiota can shape immune responses by interacting with dendritic cells and T cells, which in turn influence inflammation and pathogen defense. Moreover, changes in the microbiome are linked to conditions like autoimmune diseases, obesity, and even neurodegenerative diseases. The microbiome is a perfect example of how cellular communication is not limited to human cells but extends to the microbial residents that live symbiotically within our bodies. Aside from the gut microbiome, there are also skin, oral and respiratory microbiomes. • Internal Cellular Communication: Within individual cells, communication between organelles is crucial for maintaining homeostasis. For example, mitochondria not only produce energy but also communicate with the nucleus to regulate processes like cell growth, apoptosis, and response to oxidative stress. This communication is essential for cellular health; disruptions in this internal network can lead to diseases such as mitochondrial disorders and cancer. The endoplasmic reticulum also communicates with the rest of the cell to maintain protein folding and calcium balance, and its dysfunction can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's. Organelles like the Golgi apparatus and lysosomes coordinate with each other to transport proteins and eliminate waste. Without these intricate systems of internal cellular communication, cells would be unable to maintain function, adapt to stress, or carry out their specialized roles. Life as a Web of Communication: At its core, life is about the constant exchange of information across cells, tissues, organs, and the environment. These interwoven networks shape the behavior of cells, influencing everything from how tissues develop to how they respond to injury or infection. Cellular behavior is not driven solely by a set of genetic instructions or chemical signals; it’s a continuous flow of information that comes from interactions between cells and their environment, as well as feedback loops between the body’s different systems. Things become even more complex and much more fascinating when the act of thinking—an intangible process—creates neuronal links, a tangible physical change. This intricate process involves thinking, molecular signaling, glial cell participation, feedback mechanisms, plasticity, and cognitive integration—though such a topic deserves a deeper exploration in another post. As our understanding of biology deepens, it becomes increasingly clear that life is governed by extraordinarily sophisticated systems, far more intricate than previously recognized. Cellular communication is a prime example of how these systems work together, creating a highly coordinated, adaptive network that sustains life. This interconnectedness challenges the traditional mechanical models of biology, which often see living systems as merely the sum of their parts. Rather, biology appears to be governed by principles of coordination and something akin somewhat to thought—the ability of cells to process, interpret, and respond to signals in ways that are adaptive, purposeful, and dynamic. A New Paradigm for Life: Could the emerging complexity of cellular communication suggest a deeper level of organization than we’ve recognized in biology? The more we study cellular behavior, the less it seems that life is merely the result of reactive processes. At the very least, the complexity inherent in nature makes it significantly harder to explain everything away with simplistic "just because" reasoning. Rather, biology points toward the involvement of complex, coordinated systems that exhibit behaviors. If cells can collectively make decisions, respond to environmental cues, and adapt to challenges in ways that appear to reflect some sort of action with an intended consequence, might there be something more to life than mere autonomic reactions?