Irresponsible HOTD

1. 74

   Horatio Plotposted 10 years ago

   What bright little button chose today's Hub of the Day?
   "Learn To Hold Your Breath For More Than 2 Minutes in 5 Easy Steps."
   Quite the most irresponsible pick ever! Now forever stamped with HubPages' official seal of endorsement.

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   1. 86

      IzzyMposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree with you Horatio.
      
      There has been all sorts of problems with teenagers going through a breath-holding craze and blacking out in classrooms and all over the place.
      
      To make a HOTD of what most would consider to be a dangerous and stupid practice is just encouraging yet more youngsters to try it.

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      1. 88

         lobobrandonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         What sought of youngsters do such crazy stuff? I've not gone through the hub, but even youngsters need to have some common sense of their own.

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            summerberrieposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Unfortunately many don't. Teens are so vulnerable to peer pressure. I think the internet has been a catalyst to spread these stupid trends to such a degree they are epidemic in proportion instead of being localized instances that can be dealt with and managed by parents, local schools and local media.
            
            I thought this was a great hub.
            
            http://theophanes.hubpages.com/hub/Fift … o-Get-High

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   2. 92

      Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I often wonder how and why some hubs are chosen as HOTD. Some of them, I can only stare at the title and feel shocked when I see other hubs of more importance and benefit that could have been picked.
      
      I am not saying all HOTD should not have been chosen for the honor, just some really strike me as unfair. Who decides, how do they figure, and why is it even necessary to have a HOTD?

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      1. 92

         Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I am thinking that if the title had been, "How to hold your breath for more than two minutes in case of emergency" may have been better accepted.

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2. 82

   SoundNFuryposted 10 years ago

   i hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it, you are absolutely right!  wow.

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3. 61

   freecampingaussieposted 10 years ago

   Was it the only one posted today lol ....

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      Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Good response, freecampingaussie!  hahahaha

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4. 80

   Availiasvisionposted 10 years ago

   Maybe it sounds a little dangerous to those who do not participate in the sport, but I found nothing wrong within this hub.  In fact, I found it to be one of the best written on this site. 
   
   As long as you are not unattended in water, have obstructed your airways, or in a position to cause harm to yourself if you fell, then there isn't very much danger to recreational breath holding.  Almost no one (laying down) can voluntarily hold their breath until they pass out, and if you do, your body starts to breathe naturally.  Blacking out underwater is what is dangerous and kills free divers.
   
   He did put up this disclaimer: 
   
   "To be on the safe side have another person on your side, who can watch your behavior and progress as well as taking the time."

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   1. 74

      Horatio Plotposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I don't understand your argument. I maintain that the article is irresponsible advice about a potentially dangerous practice and as such HubPages should have nothing to do with it.
      The writer says, "You may have reached a point where the breath hold doesn't feel comfortable anymore. Your brain is telling you to breathe but honestly, that's far away from the real end of the road. Try to calm your mind down and relax even more."
      I would refer you here;
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout
      Shallow Water Blackout

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   2. 85

      aa liteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I am surprised that anybody could say that it is the best this site has to offer.  Apart from the possibility that it is a dangerous practice, just the writing style:
      
      "Every time your brain tries to find another topic to think of, you are loosing not just concentrations but also burn additional oxygen."
      
      I mean we all make typos, I am as guilty as anybody, but it was pretty difficult to read.  Also is there any evidence that you burn "additional oxygen" when you think of something?  Seems very strange.
      
      The media used on the hub was very mediocre.  Sometimes the writing on a hub might be mediocre, but there are beautiful original images.  Not this time.
      
      And really was there any specific advice.  It says 5 easy steps, but really all the advice was "relax....relax......relax"
      
      Don't get me wrong.  It probably wasn't the worst HoTD that this site has produced, and congratulations to the author, it is hardly his fault this hub was chosen.  But honestly HP needs to find a way to highlight really good hubs as HoTD, or do away with this dubious honour.

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5. 91

   madscientist12posted 10 years ago

   I don't think it's a bad hub. It's not like the hub is saying to hold your breath until you pass out.

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6. 77

   G Miahposted 10 years ago

   I think it's the 'Lean' bit, which should have probably been 'Learn'?

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   1. 74

      Horatio Plotposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Edited. Thanks my friend.

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7. 88

   SimeyCposted 10 years ago

   How do we draw a line then? A hub on skiing could be classed as dangerous? A hub on attending a 'Indy 500 experience' where you actually drive at 150mph around a course is dangerous. I write a lot of video game hubs - should these also be included as there is a potential danger of death, addiction, lack of sleep, and apparently additional violence.
   
   How about hubs on planking - harmless fun? or dangerous?
   
   I don't disagree with you about the hub potentially being dangerous - but I don't see where we can fairly draw a line.
   
   Heck if you were ever in my kitchen when my daughter cooks you could argue that every recipe hub threatens my life!!! Poison, exploding ovens etc.

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   1. 86

      IzzyMposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Obviously the line has not been drawn.
      
      The hub may have been referring to underwater swimming or some other sport, but that was not reflected in the title.
      
      "Learn To Hold Your Breath For More Than 2 Minutes in 5 Easy Steps" gives no clue as to what it actually refers to except holding your breath, which is a quite unnatural (and dangerous) thing to do.
      
      I would have liked to have seen Hubpages show more responsibility towards its young readership.

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      1. 92

         Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I totally agree with you, IzzyM. When I read the title, my thoughts were "why?" and "that is a dangerous thing and for what purpose?"
         
         This is one of the reasons a title is so very important. The title should have reflected a good reason to learn how to hold your breath that long.

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   2. 74

      Barbara Kayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      SimeyC, I agree with you. Teens don't want to be able to hold their breath. They want to pass out. For some reason they like that feeling.
      
      The skill of holding your breath is good for swimmers and it is a good way to strengthen the lungs.

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   3. 90

      Rock_njposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I've written a lot of quality hubs that try to teach people positive things and I've never been recognized by HP in any way at all.  I have to agree that teaching people how to hold their breath to the point that it is affecting their brain is a really poor choice for a Hub of the Day.  A lot of people do a lot of harmful and stupid things.  There's no reason to encourage it, especially amongst the young and reckless.  No it's not skiing or attending a car race, both fo which are fun activities that have some risk associated with then (but everything has some risk, including walking); it's an activity that can lead to brain damage or injury.  The boneheaded moves made by some of the HP staff, from their head-scratching site changes (like getting rid of sharing for 12 hours) and picking poor topics as the Hub of the Day really makes one laugh.

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8. 0

   Sarra Garrettposted 10 years ago

   Actually, learning how to hold your breath for 2 minutes could actually save your life someday especially if you live around water.  Think about it.

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   1. 86

      IzzyMposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Of course!
      
      I lived around water while growing up. My parents should have taught me how to hold my breath. Instead they taught me how to swim.

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         Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Wise parents!

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      2. 79

         Uninvited Writerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         What if you had a broken leg, arm, back?
         
         Of course you should know how to swim, but holding your breath may help if your foot gets stuck between two rocks, etc.
         
         No excuse for such a smartass reply really.

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9. 81

   Mark Ewbieposted 10 years ago

   I was so eager to see this hub that I forgot to breath while looking for it and momentarily passed out.  Waking up in a puddle of what seemed like water.. but wasn't.. I continued my search.  I now see it is replaced with a page about Japanese religion which is unsuitable for people, children especially, who are not Japanese.
   
   If it was not for the fact that my traffic is so awful, so depressing, so terrible after all the efforts I have made - I would be writing a severe letter of complaint to anyone who might be interested.  After all - without children what do we have?
   
   Exactly.  Peace and bloody quiet - that's what.
   
   As a school teacher of many years I can recall telling the little devils to stand in a corner and hold their breath for as long as they could.  Many is the time I would watch with great pleasure as they fell to the ground.  A valuable lesson and one which they took with them on their journey through drugs and eventual prison.
   
   I used to tell them that to succeed you need to work hard.  It seems odd that Google, who can send all my conversations directly to the CIA, are incapable of allowing me some small traffic in return.  No matter - in the meantime I shall throw away my words on posts like this for nothing - content that Google will not make any money out of them either.
   
   I will wait for traffic to return one day but I shan't be holding my breath.

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      cornwall_UKposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Another genius post ... as ever. 
      Keep it up.
      
      PN.

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   2. 92

      Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      OMGosh! Mark, you have expressed it all so well I feel I need not read any further. You make me realize why I fervently hope to never be bestowed with the "honor" of writing a HOTD.
      
      Now, I am sitting here, LMAO ! thanks to your reply. I commiserate with you on your thoughts.

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   3. 68

      Rosie2010posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Mark, you're so smart and funny.  Great combination!  You're not alone when it comes to traffic.  My traffic sucks as well.  Take care.

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      1. 81

         Mark Ewbieposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Hey thanks Rosie.  Who needs traffic when people say nice things?
         
         I am on a crusade - how appropriate - tonight.  You won't read it on HP - by the time QAP get around to it it will be history.  Thing is - If I can't get traffic for keywords - I might as well write what the hell I like.
         
         Google and Facebook give our information to the CIA.  Something like that.
         
         

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         1. 92

            Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Mark, you are right.  I think that is called GRIS or CRIS , something like that.

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10. 73

    JamiJayposted 10 years ago

    I did not read yesterdays HOTD about holding your breath for two minutes, but now that everyone is talking about it I sure will.
    I don't think the hub was meant to cause any harm. If you partake in dangerous sports such kayaking or white water rafting then knowing how to hold your breath for two minutes could most definitely save your life if anything were to happen such as flipping the kayak and struggling to get out, or falling out of the raft, etc. Or what if you were scuba diving and your oxygen ran out? What if you were swimming and for some odd reason you became trapped underwater and had to free yourself and that took up to two minutes? I think that information could be and is incredibly useful and it was very responsible that the writer/author shared his/her knowledge on the topic.
    If the title read, how to hold your breath for two minutes to get high, well then, obviously that would be extremely irresponsible, but that is not the case here. Also, if any parent believes their child is holding their breath to cause themselves harm or to get "high" then it is the job of the parent to help that child and explain to them that that is not appropriate behavior and explain the dangers and physical harm that that behavior will cause.
    In this case I believe that the author is just simply stating how to train your body to live without oxygen for an extended period of time so that one could survive in extreme conditions or in worst case scenarios that could potentially happen when participating in certain hobbies that pose very real dangers, so one will not cause themselves any harm.
    Anyone that receives an HOTD has worked extremely hard, has a strong connection with the content, and they should be congratulated for their time and effort here. If someone does not agree with the writing, than no one is forcing them to read it. We all have free will to read what we want as well as using the information to do what we will with it.
    I'm sure this author was excited to receive the HOTD accolade. It is okay to disagree with certain ideas and information but that doesn't mean we should be discouraging authors from writing on topics that they are knowledgeable about. I am sure this information was meant to be positive.

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       wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Hadn't thought about kayaking and such, but yes - the first time I went white water rafting (with a professional guide) the raft went over and I was trapped under water for an eternity.  At least it seemed so even though it was probably well under 2 minutes.
       
       There are indeed valid reasons to hold your breath.  That some children do it for "fun" and to ruin their brains doesn't change that.

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    2. 85

       aa liteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       "Anybody that receives an HOTD has work extremely hard, has a strong connection with the content......"
       
       I wonder what your evidence for this is.  Have you ever had an HOTD?
       
       I have.  I can tell you that the hubs that received it did not take particularly hard work.  I guess it depends how you define hard work. 
       
       I don't have a particularly strong connection to the content that received this award.  Actually there are other hubs that I've written which I care about more, and hubs I've read by other hubbers that I thought were much better than mine, that were never awarded the honour.
       
       You get an HoTD if you properly attribute your photos.  Also if your hub somehow comes to the attention of the people who choose them.  Being in the AP program for example, or writing for the WTI.
       
       Another thing, I think your brain can survive without oxygen for about 4 minutes.  Longer than that and cells begin to die and you get brain damage, then death.
       
       I don't think training yourself to not breathe for 2 minutes can do anything to help with this simple biology.

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       1. 73

          JamiJayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I have indeed received 3 hub of the days.

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11. 84

    psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

    I see nothing dangerous about voluntarily holding your breath.  I can't even imagine how doing so would be harmful.

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       Pearldiverposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Well then, even after the author's defense of the hub - let me simply say that teaching kids to hold their breath goes completely against everything a parent will ever learn in Potty Training Boot Camp!
       I believe for the most part that holding their breath and not breathing, is often identified as a reason some kids (and malcontents) are constipated!   

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12. 0

    summerberrieposted 10 years ago

    I wish HP would just do away with HOTD and replace it with a doorway advertisement that says "Interesting hubs about your cat" (with a cute picture of a cat and each day change the topic and picture) and when the visitor clicks on the "interesting hub" they land on a page that is filled with advertisements. This way they can pick up enough revenue to take the dam "related searches" off our hubs.

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    1. 85

       aa liteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       +1 excellent idea!
       
       Honestly they really seem to have a hard time finding anything worthwhile as HoTD.  Removing it seems like the best solution.

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       SmartAndFunposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       LOL. QFT. This idea is awesome.

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13. 70

    cornwall_UKposted 10 years ago

    They could have picked mine .... that took me about 9 hours to put together and was an exciting historical piece about a highwayman and murder with a premonition/psychic dream thrown in and a whip round worth up to a million pounds
    
    But no .... not breathing for a few minutes beats not breathing ever again.

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14. 0

    Beth37posted 10 years ago

    Oooh, maybe my "How to juggle chainsaws" hub stands a chance. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

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    1. 87

       Will Apseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I'm more concerned about canoodling in the churchyard at night. Hanging or a tuppenny fine?

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          Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I understood "I'm".

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       PegCole17posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Ooooh. Good one, Beth. Chainsaw gets 2,740,000 Global searches monthly. And the topic is cool too.
       

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          Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Yeah, I would probably have to practice first... then of course type the hub with my feet.

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15. 84

    psycheskinnerposted 10 years ago

    I don't see how it is a dangerous thing.  The amount of breath holding needed to cause damage is much more than a person could do voluntarily. Many kids have breath-holding contests, it is harmless.

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       Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       The op did post a link about shallow water black outs, so that is probably a danger.

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    2. 86

       IzzyMposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       You cannot kill yourself by holding your breath, because you will pass out first and the body will then automatically breathe.
       The danger is in the passing out stage. You could hit your head on the way down and cause brain damage.
       A while back, school-kids in the UK had a craze for holding their breath until they passed out.
       There were a lot of injuries and cases of kids requiring hospitalization.

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       1. 84

          psycheskinnerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          The only cases I know that causes injury were from manual strangulation with a ligature which became a fad with teens, not voluntary breath-holding.
          
          Voluntary breath-holding is harmless.

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16. 0

    DigbyAdamsposted 10 years ago

    I thought that this was a dangerous stunt when I read this. I'm glad others reacted the same way. The phrase "How to Hold Your Breath" does get 90,500 global searches a month according to the Google Keyword Tool. Perhaps this is why it was featured. (I'm sure they were all worried about a boating accident or some such other important safety protocol. NOT!)

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    1. 94

       PegCole17posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Interesting assumption. However, "tree" gets 68,000,000 Global Monthly Searches, and yet, alas, my tree hub has never been chosen as HOTD.
       

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17. 0

    DigbyAdamsposted 10 years ago

    Actually lots of kids have hypertension and heart disease these days because of their unhealthy lifestyles. Holding your breath in that case can be dangerous. It's the same reason that a yoga instructor reminds students to breath continually while holding poses. Just because kids do things doesn't make them harmless. Many of them are obese and have health issues that weren't found in that age group even 20 years ago.
    
    But seriously the issue should be is this the best hub to feature? What were they thinking about when the chose it. Is this a 10 Hub under the new QAP system. Is this what we should all be reaching for? I don't find it that inspiring.

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18. 97

    DrMark1961posted 10 years ago

    Horatio, that was very nice of you to start this thread and drive so many new readers to that hub. I wish someone had taken the time to compain about my HOTD!

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    1. 74

       Barbara Kayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       This thread is enough to make me not want another HOTD. When I got my first one, I felt honored. This is the second thread like this I've seen in about a week. I'd be mortified to be torn apart like this.

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19. 74

    Horatio Plotposted 10 years ago

    I understand why there is a mixed response to this subject, but it is however a serious issue.
    While HubPages should not get in to the business of suppressing free speech, like many other publishers, both on-line and off, it has a moral responsibility to its readers and members not to promote medically dangerous practices, especially as Izzy points out, amongst the young who may not yet be aware of the full consequences of some of their actions. It's why we have laws that try to prevent children from sniffing glue and to discourage under age drinking.
    I have no gripe with anybody who writes about such a subject although I would personally prefer not to read about it, but I believe awarding this Hub HOTD status champions a potentially hazardous medical practice.
    It's not up to me to determine where HubPages draws its lines, but I believe that to award it as an HOTD is at best morally confused.
    http://shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org/

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    1. 60

       Angie Martinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I completely agree with you. I understand where the people are coming from on saying that it may not have been written with any malicious intent. That being said, there is absolutely no statement on there as to why the hub was written in the first place. Had the author explained the reasons behind the hub or written out in what situations this would be beneficial (such as a lifesaving technique while whitewater rafting), then the hub would make sense.
       
       However, there are so many teenagers out there looking for quick highs. They try just about anything to get a temporary sensation, including choking themselves or otherwise depriving themselves of oxygen. When I was growing up, kids sniffed shoe cleaner, white out and hairspray in Ziploc baggies. Now it's hand sanitizer and bath salts.
       
       Because there is an inherent danger in giving teenagers yet another way to learn how to obtain a momentary high, and depriving your brain from valuable oxygen can be dangerous, there should be a lot more information provided in this hub as to why someone would need to do this as well as massive disclaimers about the dangers. Otherwise, it appears this is just an informational hub with no rhyme or reason that anyone can use for any purpose. Because there are not enough disclaimers and because there is no reasoning behind the hub, it should not have been chosen as HOTD. Instead, it probably should have been flagged so it was edited properly in order to not inadvertently encourage kids to try this at home.

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    2. 74

       Barbara Kayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I'll bet they didn't even take the time to think through whether it was a safe hub. I think a few of the ladies that work for Hubpages are way overworked. At least I know Simone must have been. I don't know personally, but I do know she did a lot of work here.

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20. 69

    Handicapped Chefposted 10 years ago

    Angie I agree with you a little but after reading the hub I think it was great for health reasons because I have CPOD and the way e explained it would help with just helping a person with CPOD even vocal coach said it was good if your trying to learn how to sing but your right it should have told you why and how it could help it you try it because some people will not read a entire hub after a few lines they move on.

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    1. 60

       Angie Martinposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I absolutely agree it can be beneficial for health reasons. I just wish the author had stated why he wrote it and why it was beneficial to know these techniques. If he had done that, then maybe there would be no questions as to the intent. The hub scares me that people will misuse it or use it without having someone present, especially when the author tells people to ignore their bodies giving them signals to breathe. Someone may misinterpret these signals as being okay to ignore and try to keep going, causing irreparable damage. Also it's only a small recommendation that one might want to have someone with them, when it should be all over the hub to never try this kind of training alone.
       
       Also, one should probably consult with their doctor before doing it. I have asthma as well as blebs in my lungs that are stapled shut. Being that my lung collapsed a few times on its own and I have asthma, I should never try to hold my breath at all. Someone may not know they have a condition that wouldn't permit them to do this, and therefore they should always consult with a doctor first.
       
       Obviously there are responsible readers out there, like yourself, who wouldn't take this article the wrong way. There are just as many irresponsible people that would do damage to themselves or others because of this article. That's what scares me. Had the author been more responsible with the presentation of the material, then I would be completely on board with the article. But because he doesn't explain why, doesn't give enough disclaimers, and doesn't recommend that one checks with their physician before trying this, I think it's left up to interpretation to the point that it is irresponsible and could be dangerous in the wrong hands.

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       1. 92

          Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Angie, I give you 5 stars on your reply, which is very well-thought out.
          
          Holding breath till one passes out can be very dangerous. A fall from passing out could do serious damage. I know a lady who passed out and hit her head on a heavy glass door and broke her neck.
          
          Hubs like this one should have a full explanation as to the benefits (if any) of it and also any possible dangers. The author should also have written a disclaimer of some sort. I saw a hub yesterday on a home remedy that had an excellent disclaimer which is very similar to one I use for home remedies, which states:
          
          "Disclaimer: The information provided in this hub is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician or health care provider before taking any home remedies, or starting a new health program."

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       DigbyAdamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       There is a big difference in working with a doctor or vocal coach, to the way this was written. Sensational is the only word that comes to mind.
       
       I've watched competitions on television where divers go through practices to dive hundreds of feet without oxygen. The obviously hold their breath, but watching the competition put it in context.

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21. 87

    Will Apseposted 10 years ago

    Has anybody bothered to send the author an email concerning this rather worthy discussion?

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    1. 0

       Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Do you know how hard it is to talk behind someone's back when you invite them to the conversation?

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       1. 87

          Will Apseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          It might inhibit the free flow of righteous indignation but I'll do it anyway.
          
          He's probably dead with all that dangerous stuff he practices, so don't hold your breath.

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             Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

             If I needed advise on holding my breath, I'd certainly know where to go.

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          cornwall_UKposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          "do you know how hard..."
          
          LOL

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22. 87

    Will Apseposted 10 years ago

    No contact email that I can see. Left a comment on the page but he probably won't see it in time.
    
    Always liked the idea of freediving. Get away from the madness for a couple of minutes.

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    1. 0

       Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Tattle tale.

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       1. 87

          Will Apseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          It is so unlikely, but it is just possible I have met this guy. Very zen. But then young people all look the same to me, these days.

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             Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

             Being 18 myself, I can't really identify.

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             1. 87

                Will Apseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Lol, you can still pass for 8.

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23. 68

    Rosie2010posted 10 years ago

    Hi Horatio, when I saw the title of the HOTD yesterday, I thought "Is this the best hub the HP staff can find? Seriously?"  And then when I logged out, the photo of the HOTD was full screen with just the title.  So, it must be the photo.  HP staff must love the hot guy on the photo.  
    
    Thanks for bringing up the awareness of the danger of this hub which I'm sure was written with a great photo for pinning... I mean... written with good intention.
    
    I hope you're well.  Take care, Horatio.
    
    Rosie

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    1. 87

       Will Apseposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Frankly, I reckon people will find any excuse to attack a hub of the day. People used to pick on Mayre Audet simply because she got traffic.

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          wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          +1

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       2. 95

          Melissa A Smithposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Well, obviously a hub with more attention will receive more scrutiny.

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             MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             So essentially
             
             "Congrats on your hub of the day... please be prepared to endure excessive criticisms from every malcontent that can make their way to the forums... because they don't like a decision that was completely out of your hands. Have a nice day... you know except for having your hard work dragged through the mud in a public forum."

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             1. 95

                Melissa A Smithposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Yeah...if your hub has a potential issue associated with it. I'd say that .01% of hubs get criticism and people just tend to notice the one or two times that someone makes a thread about it per 6 months. I for one learned something from the OPs post, I work at a pool and this was good to know. Someone here said this is beneficial anyway, driving traffic to the hub. The author will be fine.

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             2. 74

                Barbara Kayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Melissa +1

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    Vlorsutesposted 10 years ago

    I think it comes down to just trusting that those that are reading it have the understanding to exercise it safely and properly. As mentioned above, there have been a number of other featured hubs where the activity involved could be considered dangerous if done improperly. A hub on working on your car engine for example could result in irreparable damage if done incorrectly, but the hub writer wrote it with the intention that the person reading it would exercise that information safely and properly, and would likewise know not to follow it if they were unsure of themselves.
    
    The hub was written primarily for those that would want to be learning that information anyway, and with any HotD, if it's something you aren't interested in, then you're not obligated to read it. I think it was a well written, informative one, and while I understand some of your concerns, I don't find it irresponsible.

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    TheKatsMeowposted 10 years ago

    I personally don't see anything wrong with a Hub about holding your breath. Esther Williams, swimmer extraordinaire and classic movie star, just passed away yesterday. Have you ever seen any of her movies? She swims and dances underwater for several minutes at a time. After hearing that she passed away, I immediately watched clips from movies yesterday and one of the things that amazed me was how long she could hold her breath underwater for. I have a lot of respect for her and all that she accomplished in her life. I think it's only natural that people would want to swim like her and try to copy her. This is just one example of why someone would look up a subject like "how to hold your breath". Other people have mentioned holding your breath is good to know in case of an emergency or an accident in the water. There are many reasons why this subject could be helpful.

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       Mark Ewbieposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       And if someone did a really bad fart.

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          cornwall_UKposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          You needed to have drawn a stick man to go with that post.... with a huge puff of .... well, you know.

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    DigbyAdamsposted 10 years ago

    The HOTD gets almost no recognition at all from the community. This is one of the first times that I've seen it receive this level of ire. So I don't think that this is typical community behavior. My concern is with the judgement of the staff and not the writer. There are many other more irresponsible hubs on medical techniques than this. They just aren't held up as a model.
    
    If the staff hadn't been on a quality rampage lately, I probably wouldn't have noticed. But I saw this one and I said. Oh, this is what they want? Honestly, I started to think about topics like starting a sword swallowing business to avoid bankruptcy.

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       MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       It's typical community behavior...
       
       Everyone seems to love hauling out hubs they feel are inappropriate and posting the on the forum...  There have been many threads.
       
       If they wanted to direct their displeasure at the staff... and here's a fun idea... maybe they should have written the staff.

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          DigbyAdamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I haven't noticed this type of behavior TOWARD THE HOTD. Of course until they got rid of the religious and political forums, I avoided the forums. So perhaps I missed it. I think this is a valid use of the forum, given their  recent attitude toward Hub Quality, I think these discussions are quite helpful. I admit that I am watching every signal I can find, to figure out just want they want. If they would just let us see our QAP scores, I would look at those. I don't have your catbird seat as an Mturk.

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             MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             It was done on the HOD a couple weeks ago too... and like this, all manner of criticizing happened there too. Plus the tonnes of "This hub is crap" threads from a few months ago.  My catbird seat is open to everyone.... it's called the hopper. It's also called go to mTurk and do it yourself.

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                DigbyAdamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                Sorry I missed that so I stand corrected. Sorry again, mTurk doesn't pay enough in my book. I used to hop Hubs with the old system. Perhaps I should do some more and gain more insight. I'll try it later tonight or tomorrow. Fair suggestion.

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                aa liteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                The Mturk is closed to anybody in the UK, you can only do it if you are in the US.  Of course I could hop on the hopper here and try it out, but then I would be doing something for free, that you get paid to do, which would be a little annoying.
                
                There was a bit of an attack about an HoTD a couple of weeks ago I defended that hub then.  There were also a few hubs chosen that were not written in very good English, which nobody said anything about on the forums.  So not every HoTD gets torn to pieces by the community.  In fact I think the majority of them don't.
                
                Really I don't care very much about the HoTD topic one way or another.  It's just that the whole 'quality drive' that TPTB are on doesn't really seem to be reflected very much in HoTDs.  This is naturally annoying.
                
                Just realised that I've written rather a lot about a topic that I don't really care very much about.  I have guests today and am procrastinating preparing their lunch and cleaning up the place for them.  I will now stop.

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    cornwall_UKposted 10 years ago

    I think I get bored of seeing the HUTD.... 24 hours is too long.... especially if it makes you spit that your own glorious craftings weren't recognised for the pure genius script that they are and you have it mocking you many times a day.
    
    

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    Shariceyposted 10 years ago

    Agreed. I just had a hub considered not featured due to quality and its actually one of my better hubs. So frustrating!

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    SeThCipherposted 10 years ago

    Dear hubbers and concerned readers.
    
    I am Sebastian, the author of "Learn To Hold Your Breath For More Than 2 Minutes in 5 Easy Steps"
    
    First of all I would like to thank Will Apse for informing me that this discussion is going on in the forum. I would have taken the opportunity earlier to participate if I had known.
    
    I appreciate all of you for sharing your thoughts, concerns and discomfort you have experienced with that Hub of the day, which obviously lead to some confusion in the community.
    
    I pick up the original characterization this hub has been credited in this forum as being "Quite the most irresponsible pick ever!", "to be a dangerous and stupid practice" which then lead to the question how the HupPages stuff actually picks its Hub of the Days.
    
    Just to finish up the last one. I have no clue and I don't bother. It is what it is for now.
    
    Somewhere in the middle another application of holding the breath was introduced by Mark Ewbie when he wrote "And if someone did a really bad fart." Thanks for that one ;-)
    
    Basically there are several different concerns colliding at the same time and I'd like to state each one of them.
    
    I understand that the mere topic of holding one's breath for an unusual time like 2 minutes seems to be crazy, careless or even irresponsible. I know that, because I thought the same about it before I learned freediving.
    
    Holding the breath, performed according to the instructions give, isn't stupid and dangerous at all. In fact the human body is designed to perform those kind of activities. For more information on that I kindly refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammalian_diving_reflex
    
    And yes, I believe that every youngster or whoever is self dependent enough to make his or her own decisions regarding what to do or not to do. I am not diminishing the responsibility from them nor do I force anyone to perform the techniques I have explained in this hub.
    
    I agree that there are probably many people who put themselves into dangerous and stupid situations but seriously that's not the topic here.
    
    I didn't put a specific application in this hub, because there are so many different ways you can apply that knowledge. It is used in
    
    - Yoga
    - Vocal Coaching (as I know now)
    - Relaxation techniques
    - Meditation
    - Will Power Training
    - Freediving
    - etc.
    
    I wanted to keep it universal. It's a built-in feature of the human body if you would like to say so. The body is able to maintain a health state even while holding the breath for a longer period of time. (For your information: The world record is above 10 minutes without ANY subsequent damage)
    
    Later on in the thread the consumption of oxygen because of the brain was put in question. As a matter of fact the brain is responsible for 20% of total body oxygen consumption. I kindly refer to http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/facts.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_brain#Metabolism
    
    My intention for writing this hub:
    - showing and telling people about the capabilities of the human body and mind
    - introducing a way one is able to reach his mental limits
    - sharing my fascination about freediving, the sport this techniques are used for.
    
    NOT my intention for writing this hub:
    - using a highly targeted keyword like "hold your breath" to gain additional traffic
    - showing youngsters to black out
    - introducing a way to get high (which isn't really an effective way to do. I am sure youngsters these days know better ways"
    
    At another passage in this thread the term Shallow Water Blackout appears. I confirm that this is a really dangerous situation but has nothing to do with the technique described in the hub.
    
    Shallow Water Blackout, as described in the Wikipedia article, is the issue of blacking out while freediving near the surface. Because of the relative pressure changes of gases, like oxygen, are significantly higher near oxygen, the amount of oxygen may fall below a necessary level which then leads to a blackout. This only happens BECAUSE of the diving (and the according changes of pressure). In dry training as described in my hub this is not the case. Because of the Shallow Water Blackout Issue Freediving is furthermore never done alone.
    
    I also conceived that the topic of brain damage appears several times. It is necessary to define a clear distinction about what causes brain damage and what doesn't. After 3 minutes of NO OXYGEN supply at all the brain is at risk of getting damage.
    
    While holding your breath your body is PERMANENTLY supplied with oxygen. Only the amount of it gets less and less after time. And that's exactly what you are training for. To get used to the less amount of oxygen in your body and use it more effectively. By no means you are interrupting the oxygen supply and causing some kind of brain damage.
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-diving
    
    Is holding the breath potentially dangerous? Of course it is. Walking on the sidewalk and eating plums is potentially dangerous, too. Either a car can kill you or you may choke on the plums and die because of suffocation. In the latter my hub on holding your breath for 2 minutes may help you increasing your chance of survival.
    
    Consulting a doctor before doing that exercise is definitely a great idea. Having your body checked regularly isn't just beneficial for practices like that.
    
    JamiJay described it very lovely the way I'd like to put it:
    
    "In this case I believe that the author is just simply stating how to train your body to live without oxygen for an extended period of time so that one could survive in extreme conditions or in worst case scenarios that could potentially happen when participating in certain hobbies that pose very real dangers, so one will not cause themselves any harm."
    
    I hope I could cover all the major concerns and issues. Again, I really appreciate that all of you took the time to write down their thoughts and concerns. I want to communicate a clear picture of what I have learned and trained on my own.
    
    Last but not least: Why is holding your breath beneficial?
    
    - it lets you relax any time at any place immediately (refering back to the Human Dive Reflex)
    - it lets you control your state of mind by putting things back to order. If you don't believe me then focus on your breathing the next time you are anxious, stressed or in any other uncomfortable situation
    - it lets you face and extend the mental borders and shows you new capabilities of your body and mind
    - you will find a dozen other applications you can implement in your daily life
    
    Feel free to contact me directly, via this forum, by comments or whatever. I am happy to help. It took a while to write this reply but I am glad I did it.
    
    Best regards
    Sebastian

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       Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Sebastian, it is admirable and appreciated that you appear here and give your explanations to defend your reason for writing the hub. However, if all that you say in this forum reply had been addressed in the hub, I doubt very much that this forum would exist.
       
       I still strongly feel that a disclaimer should have been included in the hub, not only to protect yourself but your readers.
       
       Thank you for clearing up your intentions and for taking the time to do so.

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          aa liteposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I agree, I find this forum post to be much better than the hub.  I reckon, Sebastian you should see whether you can stick some of this information into the hub.  It will be much better for you if your hub generates traffic, rather than a forum post.
          
          The thing about thinking burning up energy.........started me on a little journey.  There is no doubt that the brain needs a lot of glucose and energy, hence oxygen, but the question is whether having a random thought would increase that noticeably.  I still doubt it that, but of course that is how pet scans and the other scans they do for psychology and cognitive research work. 
          
          They look at which bits of the brain light up by seeing which consume more energy, assuming these are the active ones.  Still dubious that you actually conserve meaningful oxygen by clearing your mind.  I guess it doesn't really matter at this point.

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       mary615posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I began reading this forum thread last night, and all I could think of was how sorry I felt for the Author of this Hub.  He didn't ask to have the honor of HOTD. 
       I live in S. Fl. and we have children here who fall into  pools and drown frequently.  If I were a parent trying to keep my child from drowning, I would hope I could hold my breath long enough to get the child out of the water.
       I think it's a good thing to learn how to hold ones breath.
       I hope someday to have the honor of getting a second HOTD.  Now I'm not so sure after reading all these comments of criticism.

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          Sarra Garrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Excellent answer.  How do you think the OP feels with all this negativity and he is new here to HP.  It's better to be happy for someone else than to be disgruntled.  Gee, personally I hope none of my hubs get to be hub of the day, I'd feel like there is a lynching going on.  Get over it people.  Remember, if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.

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             Phyllis Doyleposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             I disagree, Sarra, that "if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all."  Sebastian is a new author and wrote a hub he felt was good, and apparently many others think it is a good hub.  However, to post comments that are only nice would not help him at all -- it would encourage him to write more, no doubt, but would not point out things that should have been made clear to his readers. This forum, I believe, will not only make the author of the hub more aware of what information to include in such a hub, but, hopefully the HubTeam will read and think more responsibly about how to choose a HOTD.

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                Sarra Garrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                If my HOTD was 'bitched' about by supposedly adult hubbers and I was new, personally, I wouldn't come back.  Did he ask that his hub be picked????  NO.  So you all need to grow up and back off this writer.  Cheese Wiz people give the guy a break.  It's not the authors fault his hub was picked, go bitch at HP for choosing it.

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                   lobobrandonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                   Bitch at HP for choosing it? Well they shouldn't do that either as it's perfectly ok to pick any topic as a HOTD. I thought I was alone here saying that kids aren't crazy. Nice to see shanna posted a similar comment too.

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                      Sarra Garrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                      That was taken out of context, maybe my words didn't come out right.  What I meant is hp has every right to post what they want as the HOTD.  It's this forum and the people in it that are picking on a new writer and they don't need to be.  There was nothing irresponsible about that hub and the writer didn't ask to be chosen as the HOTD.  It just happens.....kinda like, well, you know.  It happens everyday

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                         lobobrandonposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                         No Sarra I understood what you meant, I know you meant it metaphorically

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                            Sarra Garrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                            k

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30. 88

    WryLiltposted 10 years ago

    Babies can hold their breath underwater for somewhere around the first six months... one reason some people teach them to swim before that age. Not to mention why waterbirth is safe (although in that case they receive oxygen through the umbilical cord.)
    
    Me, I'm just waiting to get a HOTD. Mark, shall we hang out in the corner and look dour faced?

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       Mark Ewbieposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I don't have a pair of dour-faced characters to hand so it will have to be text only.
       
       I'm surprised your MFP hasn't had a top billing.  Useful and pertinent to Hubbers - who are probably the only ones who read HOTD anyway.
       
       I didn't join this thread to knock the Breathing Or Not page - just for some fun.  I can certainly imagine that were I to get a top billing there would be a large number of justifiable complaints.
       
       Fortunately I didn't join HP for money, traffic, reads, interaction, experience or money.  I only joined so if the CIA needed a stickman as part of the war against terror they would know where to go.  Still waiting for the call...

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          Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

          You said money twice. I think the latter nullifies the former so now you actually appear to be here for the money.

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             Mark Ewbieposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             Like a double negative - you could be onto something.  I'm just typing at random in case something comes out one day that will make my fortune.

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                Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

                I knew it!

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          WryLiltposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I'm guessing that the fact my MFPs don't have attribution (way too hard to find attributable editable images) is the issue. I get them off sites where you don't have to give anything. Works easier
          
          That said, I'm working on a hub on canker sores. Grotesque pictures and all. Including strange cures such as lime juice and boiled sugar. All pictures by author. I'm not getting my hopes up but... you know. I may not beat out a hub on leprosy for the top spot though.

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    mistyhorizon2003posted 10 years ago

    Honestly couldn't be bothered to read all the pages of responses here, suffice to say it is virtually impossible to kill yourself by holding your breath as needless to say you will pass out first, and your body will instinctively begin breathing again (no long lasting damage). Two minutes is no time at all for most (my Mother was a Bel Canto trained singer and could hold her breath for over 3 minutes when in full regular training). As many others have said here, the ability to hold your breath for two minutes could save your life in many circumstances. To me this hub must offer more useful, than dangerous information (and no I haven't read it as it doesn't seem necessary based on what it apparently advises).

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32. 87

    Will Apseposted 10 years ago

    A thousands years of parish councils...
    
    You will never be able to stop as long as a weed goes unpulled or a youth walks with a slouch.

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    Sarra Garrettposted 10 years ago

    Man, you guys have your 'mean caps' on.  If learning to hold your breath for 2 minutes is a bad thing, then when you or a loved one finds themselves in a car wreck upside down in water guess you all would perish.  This hub was not intended to 'make people pass out', this is something that takes practice to 'train' your lungs and reflexes.    If you were swimming and got your foot stuck, how are you going to get out of that if no one else is around.    Look outside the box on this one and stop being jealous.  Geez.

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    Shanna11posted 10 years ago

    Wow. I'm ashamed I wasted all that time reading this forum when I could have been working on my newest Hub:  "How to get white teeth by gargling with bleach"
    
    It's a shoe-in for this new "dangerous HOTD" trend I'm seeing. Poisonous chemicals, breath holding...who wants to write a Hub about Grand Canyon cliff diving?

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    madscientist12posted 10 years ago

    I don't understand what the big deal is. It's an article about holding your breath for two minutes. There are articles on hubpages that is way worse than this one. One problem with the world today is that people make a big deal out of nothing. This hub was not a bad hub. I don't think anyone is going to read it and then hold their breath until they die.

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    rebekahELLEposted 10 years ago

    I didn't read the entire thread, but I did read the hub and found nothing wrong with it.  Even if I did, so what?  I tend to agree with your comment.
    That the author came to own defense in a thread questioning his intent and still has those asking him to insert specific words into his article reminds me of our hyper 'pc' culture.
    
    It reminds me of what happens when 'employee of the month' is posted in workplaces, thankfully it's not at my current job.

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       modernalchemystposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       "That the author came to own defense in a thread questioning his intent and still has those asking him to insert specific words into his article reminds me of our hyper 'pc' culture."
       
       My thoughts exactly.
       
       I would be willing to bet that the number of adolescents who resort to using HubPages for recommendations on the latest ways to get high is infinitesimally small. Even if it's not, just because it is possible to use something for the purpose of getting high doesn't mean that every article written on that thing should be censored. Oh, well. I hope the Hubber is enjoying the traffic sent his way. Nothing drives traffic like controversy.

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          Shanna11posted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I think I'm the youngest one here and since I still associate regularly with high  schoolers and middle schoolers and the like (and I still often act like one) I think I can speak for adolescents here and agree with you by saying that the HOTD was not irresponsible and it actually pisses me  off that people here think adolescents are stupid enough to somehow overcome physical capabilities and hurt ourselves holding our breath.
          
          Seriously. It's not a big deal. It's not irresponsible. People here need to stop making mountains out of moleholes and let us kids be kids for a while without freaking out about everything. Good grief! Go combat drunk driving or meth use in teens or something that actually IS dangerous and irresponsible. That would actually be worthwhile...

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             mistyhorizon2003posted 10 years agoin reply to this

             +1

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    Nell Roseposted 10 years ago

    I wonder if I will get Hub of the Day If I write about standing on one leg, pinching my nose with one hand and holding a cup of tea in the other? It should be HOTD especially if you want to join a circus as a clown! now there's a thought, If I join a circus I will start to earn some money!
    On the other hand maybe swimming with a cup of tea may just get me into Disney lands world of strange phenomenon! Or maybe....nah too dangerous!

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    rebeccamealeyposted 10 years ago

    I agree. Not a good pick at all. I hope kids don't find the article and get the wrong message.

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       Shanna11posted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Too late. I'm already wreaking havoc by holding my breath. Holding my breath is like a gateway drug-- I wonder if I can hold it for even longer! Hooray! What destructive fun!

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          MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I showed it to my teenage.
          
          He held his breath until he passed out.
          
          Not seeing a down side...
          
          Seriously, I want every hub about bungee jumping, sky diving and ATV riding taken off of HP immediately.

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             SeThCipherposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             I am glad you didn't mention BASE Jumping otherwise I would be screwed now.

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                MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                I knew I forget something.
                
                Also please take the knitting hubs down... those needles are sharp.

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                   Motown2Chitownposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                   Smartass. 
                   
                   Oh, and please no one report me for a personal attack, K?  Thanks.

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                      MelissaBarrettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                      So I've been told...

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                         modernalchemystposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                         Uh-oh, the latest HOTD is about big cats. This is by far the most irresponsible Hub yet. Fortunately I'm 22, but if I'd seen that Hub a few years ago when my mind was still vulnerable with the folly of youth, I'm sure I would have immediately gone out and purchased a mountain lion. ): When will this trend of reckless hubbing come to an end?

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             Shanna11posted 10 years agoin reply to this

             Hahahahhaha I laughed out loud...  your poor son.... SUCH a terrible mother...

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    delleaposted 10 years ago

    I think the simple fact of the HOTD issue is that too many hubbers are sour grapes when their hubs don't get featured because they think their own hubs are much better. So the elephant in the room is... WHY!?!?! Your own hub wasn't HOTD, so what? Are you going to drop dead or lose money because your hubs aren't voted HOTD? I don't think so. Why not just keep writing your own hubs and stop ragging on people who ARE voted for HOTD? And heck, why not even congratulate them for it? I think way too many of you waste too much of your time worrying about HOTD and your hub stats. I check my hub stats regularly but I don't have a stroke if I think a hub should have a higher rating. I just focus on producing good hubs, and so far all of my hubs have been Featured... I only had a problem with one hub so far, so I examined the criticism and I fixed it, then it also became Featured. My whole point here is that instead of complaining about other hubbers and what they are getting, why waste that time and use it to write more of your own hubs so that you can draw more positive traffic to yourselves and in turn earn more money? I'm focused on my quality and on my own traffic and earnings, I couldn't give a crap about HOTD. GOOD GRIEF!

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       Sherry Hewinsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       I agree, and as a past recipient of 3 HOTD I can tell you that it makes no difference long-term. It's exciting, and you get a nice bump in traffic for a few days afterward, but after that you're on your own again. All this discussion is probably increasing and extending that HOTD bump.

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    Beth37posted 10 years ago

    Are we still talking about this?

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       Reality Bytesposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       It will stop soon, but don't hold your breath!
       
       

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    mistyhorizon2003posted 10 years ago

    I don't get why holding one's breath for 2 minutes will hurt anybody's brain unless they are a baby in a crib. Professionally trained singers do it all the time (and for 3 mins or more in the course of training). What about those divers who free dive with no apparatus and stay on the bottom of the sea catching fish or harvesting shellfish etc (they stay under for 5 minutes or more)? Honestly, two minutes is no time at all and will not damage or kill the vast majority of people from kids up to adulthood unless they already have other health issues going on. If this HOTD had not been written, anyone could find out how to hold their breath for two minutes simply by either going to a website that offers vocal coaching, or reading a book on how to learn to sing correctly, and if the hub in question had sported such a title then no-one would have had a bad word to say about it!

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       Sherry Hewinsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Or they could just hold their breath. Honestly if the goal is to pass out or get high I don't know why you'd need to do it correctly. Doing it correctly would probably make it take longer to reach the goal.

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    Maricarmjoloposted 10 years ago

    I just remembered when I was young we used to play a silly game of holding our breaths... Oh, then should I make a hub entitled "How to Play the Holding a Breath game"?  just kidding...

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