The reason why I love ChatGPT so much is because you don’t get suckered by all these nonsensical conspiracy theories on social media, the Internet, etc. also all the advertisements that are bombarding your face on Google and Wikipedia, and these places are really bad. Maybe the Internet is just a bad place in general? ChatGPT is the freaking future!

Bring back ROME

Certainly, the conspiracy theory that suggests tap water contains significant amounts of birth control pills or hormones, which can affect people’s health or fertility, is not supported by scientific evidence. Here’s why:

1. Treatment and Regulation: Municipal water systems are highly regulated and undergo rigorous treatment processes to remove contaminants, including pharmaceuticals. These systems are monitored to ensure that the water meets safety standards set by health and environmental agencies.
2. Trace Amounts: While it’s true that trace amounts of various pharmaceuticals, including hormones from birth control pills, have been detected in water supplies, these levels are extremely low. They are typically measured in parts per billion or trillion, far below the threshold that would be required to have a physiological impact on humans.
3. Studies and Research: Extensive research has been conducted to understand the presence and effects of pharmaceuticals in water systems. The consensus is that the concentrations found are too low to pose a risk to human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the trace amounts of hormones found in drinking water are not a public health concern.
4. Environmental Impact: The primary concern regarding pharmaceuticals in water sources tends to focus on environmental impacts, such as effects on aquatic life, rather than direct effects on human health. Even in these cases, the effects are associated with continuous exposure to these substances in the environment, not occasional consumption of tap water.
5. Sources of Hormones: Hormones can enter water systems from various sources, not just birth control pills. These include other pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and agricultural run-off. The notion that birth control pills are a significant or exclusive source is misleading.

In summary, while the presence of trace pharmaceuticals in water supplies is an area of ongoing study, the idea that tap water contains enough birth control substances to affect human health is a conspiracy theory not grounded in scientific evidence. The concentrations found in tap water are too low to have any physiological effect on humans.

Why does tap water taste different from bottled water?

Tap water and bottled water can taste different due to several factors:

1. Source: Tap water usually comes from rivers, lakes, or underground sources and may contain different minerals depending on the location. Bottled water can be spring water, mineral water, or even filtered tap water.
2. Treatment: Tap water is typically treated with chemicals like chlorine to kill bacteria and other microorganisms. This treatment can affect its taste. Bottled water often undergoes different treatment processes like reverse osmosis or distillation, which can give it a different taste profile.
3. Minerals: The presence of minerals (like calcium, magnesium, and sodium) can vary significantly between tap water and different brands of bottled water, affecting the taste.
4. Packaging: Bottled water might have a slight taste from the plastic or glass container, especially if stored for a long time or in certain conditions.
5. pH Level: The pH level of water, which can vary between sources and treatment processes, can influence the taste. Some bottled waters are even marketed based on their unique pH levels.
6. Storage and Age: The age of water and the conditions under which it’s stored can alter its taste. Tap water is generally fresher compared to bottled water, which might have been stored for a long period.

Each of these factors contributes to the overall sensory experience of drinking water.

BLISS BLISS KISS KISS

The best feeling I ever get in life is through walking? The most blissful way to exist is being a pedestrian in your city, and just observing all of the beauty, the architecture, and trying to uplift the smallest mundane things throughout the streets.

Thanks William Penn, you made a really nice grid!

1. Walking is life
2. The importance of sleep
3. Why lift weights?
4. Sunbathe as much as possible
5. Testosterone is happiness
6. How to become a demigod
7. Treat your body like art
8. Why you should start fasting
9. Coffee as a stimulant
10. My carnivore diet journey
11. Carnivore diet is economic
12. The war on meat
13. Stop eating processed food
14. Drinking alcohol is strange
15. Sports are silly
16. Clothing is armor
17. Listen to your gut
18. Bad weather, bad mood?
19. The great outdoors
20. Why I love nature
21. Being indoors is not healthy
22. Anti-anti-social
23. Why I love cycling
24. The body is democratic
25. Spartan flex

The Goal to Transcend

At this point, I could never make another “good” photo again and feel completely satisfied with the images I’ve created on my journey so far. But this satisfaction brings a new question: what’s next? How do we push the future of photography into a more thrilling, boundary-breaking direction?

Go Beyond

To transcend means to go beyond—to surpass the limits of what’s known. The etymology of “transcend” points to rising above or surpassing something. In art, this is the ultimate challenge: breaking free from conventions, defying the familiar boundaries that confine so much of our craft.

“Transcend” means to go beyond the limits of something, to rise above or surpass. It often refers to achieving a level of performance, understanding, or existence that is superior to or beyond normal limits.

This is what I seek with photography. We should aim to move beyond conventional notions of a “good” photograph, and beyond the romanticized lessons left by the masters of the past. One of my greatest frustrations in street photography is this obsessive nostalgia for what’s been done. I say, crush the masters and move forward.

Embrace the New

Why is film photography making a comeback? Today, photographers don their flannels, beanies, and old cameras around their necks for a “look.” But why is the work itself often uninteresting? It feels tied to old-school, outdated notions of being an artist with a capital “A”—taking everything too seriously and refusing to evolve.

Just Fuck Shit Up

Moving forward, let’s just fuck shit up. Work at lightning speed, faster than any mode of photography that’s come before. Uplift the human experience in the rawest, most candid way possible, and let the results fall where they may. Enough of boring artists, slow processes, and predictable photos.

Think Carte Blanche

To transcend, we need a blank slate—a carte blanche approach. Starting from scratch, we can see how the conventions of the past are actually holding us back. Even the way we view photography in galleries feels outdated. Walking through the galleries in New York, I see so much work hijacked by shallow, trendy themes. Social justice and woke aesthetics dominate, reducing photography to tiresome displays. Where’s the thrill, the vision, the freedom?

So, What Can We Do?

Disconnect from the noise, from galleries, projects, zines, books, and just carve your own path forward. Photograph for yourself, for your own vision, and abandon the constraints of projects and external expectations. Let’s strive to create work that’s free from all conventions. The real question to solve is: how can we make photography less boring?

This is the number one tragedy of modern living….

Why?

People might choose to stay indoors all day for various reasons:

1. Work and Leisure: With the rise of remote work and digital entertainment like streaming services, video games, and social media, many activities that once required going outside can now be done indoors.
2. Health Concerns: Some people, particularly those with health issues, might stay indoors to avoid exposure to pollutants, allergens, or to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.
3. Comfort and Convenience: Indoor environments can be more controlled and comfortable, offering amenities like air conditioning, easy access to food, and privacy.
4. Mental Health Reasons: Anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues can make leaving the house a challenging task for some individuals.
5. Safety Concerns: In some areas, concerns about crime or safety can lead people to prefer staying indoors.
6. Weather Conditions: Extreme weather, like intense heat, cold, or rain, can make staying inside more appealing.
7. Personal Preferences: Some people simply prefer indoor activities and environments over outdoor ones.

It’s important to remember that a balanced lifestyle, including time spent outdoors, is generally beneficial for physical and mental health.

When somebody asks you what you identify as, who you are, or what you do, just tell them “Spartan”

Troll as much as humanly possible.

AOOH AOOH AOOH

Today, it’s easy to seek happiness through external means. Whether it’s the unlimited yummy food options, latest TV shows, movies, comedians, etc. My antidote to all of this hedonistic pleasure in the world is to actually subtract it all and to seek happiness from within. I find bliss in solitude and walking my own path.