| Poison for Profit |
[Feb. 8th, 2009|04:05 pm] |
I'm not one to normally wax political, but this is really bothering me. Just recently I did some research on the food additive called aspartame. This is information from one of several pages that are available, taken from
http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/dangers.htm
Note that numbers in parentheses found within the text are references to other articles or notes.
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Aspartame: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You
Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods.
Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.
Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
What Is Aspartame Made Of?
Aspartic Acid (40 percent of aspartame)
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)
How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:
* Multiple sclerosis (MS)
* ALS
* Memory loss
* Hormonal problems
* Hearing loss
* Epilepsy
* Alzheimer's disease
* Parkinson's disease
* Hypoglycemia
* AIDS
* Dementia
* Brain lesions
* Neuroendocrine disorders
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:
"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."(4)
Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5)
* Headaches/migraines
* Nausea
* Abdominal pains
* Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
* Sleep problems
* Vision problems
* Anxiety attacks
* Depression
* Asthma/chest tightness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.
A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)
Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.
This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6)
Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)
One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the "Wednesday Journal" in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)
As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.
Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)
Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)
Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.(10)
Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."(11)
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.(11)
It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.
In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).
Diketopiperazine (DKP)
DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.
G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.
In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.(11)
DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.(13)
© Copyright 2009 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
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This additive is found in many sugar-free items, like diet sodas, jello, and sugarless gum. If you use these products on a regular basis you're getting dosed with the stuff continually. Maybe that's why healthy people suddenly drop dead with no other explainable reason.
And why, do you ask, would a company use something so dangerous in their products? The answer is simple. Companies aren't concerned with your health or well-being. Companies are out to make a profit by selling a product.
I have been making it a habit to stop using products containing aspartame. I had to give up Trident, my favorite gum (WAHHHH!), Sugar-Free Jello, and more than a couple of those instant-mix drinks. And forget Diet Pepsi. It's got the stuff in it too. Don't believe me? Go check the labels for yourself the next time you're out shopping. |
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| My New Dsi |
[Feb. 3rd, 2009|08:04 pm] |
Finally got the C.A.R.E. package from Masato-san with my toy in it - a brand new Nintendo Dsi!
It's a lot different from the DS I have come to know and obsess with love. Here are some of the differences:
For one thing, the screens are a bit larger; I outlined the touch screens on both so you can see the difference. The volume control is located along the left side (red scribble); a slot for an SD card is located on the right where the power switch is on a regular DS (yellow scribble). While both of them have the mic in roughly the same spot (marked in orange), the DSi also features two cameras, one of which can found on the inner hinge right by the microphone (circled in blue). The L and R triggers operate the inner camera. The second camera for the DSi is on the outer lid, and the cameras can be switched between by an option on the touch screen. Any images taken by either camera can be saved to an SD card for future embarrassment of friends and associates.
By the way, the Game Boy Access slot is history, so if you've invested in a lot of those games you'll be SOL with the DSi.
I'm still playing around with it to see what it can do; unfortunately for me, the operation manuals are all in Japanese and I can only read a smattering of the words. I've figured out several of the options by trial and error and a decent understanding of katakana. So for now, I can poke at it and get a few things done.
It has a few interesting features that allow alteration of images taken by the camera. It is internet-ready and has a dedicated connection to the Nintendo Store (go figure), and an independant hook up that appears to be the original Nintendo Browser built in. It can also play music files, albeit protected ones (that AAC protective crap, I think it is, or whatever the heck it's called).
One last note: While sitting in idle, it plays this soft music that sounds like it belongs in the Cloud sequence from Robot Carnival. It's pleasant and yawn-producing, especially if you're already tired to begin with. I wonder if that's on purpose.
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| Okay, so maybe I do have something to talk about... |
[Aug. 9th, 2008|12:47 am] |
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At The Magic Gopher Web Page you will discover a very entertaining little game. In it, you meet a nicely-animated cartoon gopher in a turban, standing in a pseudo-Egyptian setting To play his game you choose a number, do some math on that number, then you pick a certain symbol based on the result The gopher will then claim to read your mind and choose a card, also with a symbol. The idea is to see if he has guessed your symbol correctly. If you play it enough, you'll find that he guesses the symbol correctly EVERY TIME.
Magic? Hardly. To explain how this works, first of all let's look at the rules as shown when you choose the Help option:
The first rule is that you must choose a number with two digits. This means your choice will always be limited to numbers 10 through 99. Secondly, you must perform a quick bit of arithmetic on the chosen number, as follows: Add the two numbers together, then subtract the new number from the original one. In the example given, 43 is used. Therefore, 43 - (4+3) = 36. Once you have your new number, you look at a chart that appears on your screen and pick the corresponding symbol assigned to that number. The symbols in this chart are randomly arranged each time, but that doesn't matter because the truth is that the symbol you choose is pre-determined, no matter what it is.
Don't believe me? Read on...
First of all, think about the numbers to choose from, as mentioned above - 10 to 99. Now, let's take a look at the equation that is to be performed. If you work the equation on every number allowed within that range, a pattern will emerge:
10 - (1+0) = 9
11 - (1+1) = 9
12 - (1+2) = 9
13 - (1+3) = 9
14 - (1+4) = 9
15 - (1+5) = 9
16 - (1+6) = 9
17 - (1+7) = 9
18 - (1+8) = 9
19 - (1+9) = 9 | 20 - (2+0) = 18
21 - (2+1) = 18
22 - (2+2) = 18
23 - (2+3) = 18
24 - (2+4) = 18
25 - (2+5) = 18
26 - (2+6) = 18
27 - (2+7) = 18
28 - (2+8) = 18
29 - (2+9) = 18 | 30 - (3+0) = 27
31 - (3+1) = 27
32 - (3+2) = 27
33 - (3+3) = 27
34 - (3+4) = 27
35 - (3+5) = 27
36 - (3+6) = 27
37 - (3+7) = 27
38 - (3+8) = 27
39 - (3+9) = 27 | 40 - (4+0) = 36
41 - (4+1) = 36
42 - (4+2) = 36
43 - (4+3) = 36
44 - (4+4) = 36
45 - (4+5) = 36
46 - (4+6) = 36
47 - (4+7) = 36
48 - (4+8) = 36
49 - (4+9) = 36 | 50 - (5+0) = 45
51 - (5+1) = 45
52 - (5+2) = 45
53 - (5+3) = 45
54 - (5+4) = 45
55 - (5+5) = 45
56 - (5+6) = 45
57 - (5+7) = 45
58 - (5+8) = 45
59 - (5+9) = 45 | 60 - (6+0) = 54
61 - (6+1) = 54
62 - (6+2) = 54
63 - (6+3) = 54
64 - (6+4) = 54
65 - (6+5) = 54
66 - (6+6) = 54
67 - (6+7) = 54
68 - (6+8) = 54
69 - (6+9) = 54 | 70 - (7+0) = 63
71 - (7+1) = 63
72 - (7+2) = 63
73 - (7+3) = 63
74 - (7+4) = 63
75 - (7+5) = 63
76 - (7+6) = 63
77 - (7+7) = 63
78 - (7+8) = 63
79 - (7+9) = 63 | 80 - (8+0) = 72
81 - (8+1) = 72
82 - (8+2) = 72
83 - (8+3) = 72
84 - (8+4) = 72
85 - (8+5) = 72
86 - (8+6) = 72
87 - (8+7) = 72
88 - (8+8) = 72
89 - (8+9) = 72 | 90 - (9+0) = 81
91 - (9+1) = 81
92 - (9+2) = 81
93 - (9+3) = 81
94 - (9+4) = 81
95 - (9+5) = 81
96 - (9+6) = 81
97 - (9+7) = 81
98 - (9+8) = 81
99 - (9+9) = 81 | |
So even though you have ninety numbers to choose from, the equation boils them down to only nine: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81. Now, let's have a look at that symbol chart. This is an image I captured while playing the game. Look at the symbol placed in the position of the numbers mentioned above:
Now look at the card that was picked:
Still think it's magic now?
The symbol found in the numbered positions in the chart will always be the card chosen. The process is fixed from the beginning. You can check it for yourself. You only think you're choosing a random symbol. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I guess I just had to pick it apart because I got an email about it from my sister, who was simply amazed and seemed to think it was just the cleverest thing. I personally despise the fact that it's so constrained, yet it's made to look like a real guessing game. A lot of so-called 'magic' falls under this kind of controlled trickery, I think.
Now I'm done for another 29 weeks.
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| Last Updated 29 Weeks Ago... |
[Aug. 8th, 2008|11:56 pm] |
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That's what it read in my account details when I logged in.
So much for trying to blog on a semi-regular basis. Oh, well. I'm just not a blogger, it seems...this isn't the kind of thing for everyone. Doesn't seem to me that I have anything that's (1) worth talking about that (2) people will actually bother to read. And what's the point of typing a bunch of nonsense? It's like talking a lot and not saying anything. Makes no sense to me. I have a ton of other things that I could and should pour more energy into. Like drawing. And studying Japanese. And tinkering with DS Lites. And making weird things out of Play-doh.
Play-doh.
They have black Play-doh now, you know?
When I was a Kid, I loved the cartoon Speed Buggy (cheesy animation and all) and I used to make Speed Buggies out of Play-doh. But there was no black, so I had to improvise and I wound up with a very not black-looking dishwater gray that had to do for the wheels. It got me by. But now...
Black Play-doh. BLACK.
Speed Buggy is no longer an impossible dream.
See?
Did you find this entry worth reading?
Did it provide even a small, passing amusement?
Or did you realize that you've just lost a few minutes of your life that will never return?
I rest my case.
See you in another 29 weeks.
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| HAPPY VIRAL INFECTION!!! |
[Jan. 3rd, 2008|08:11 pm] |
Well.
Dec 31, 2007.
The cough and accompanying symptoms that plagued me in November (see last post) returned with a vengeance. Two days into my return to work [ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH], I'm doing my infamous 'bring up a lung cough' that makes people either take extreme pity on me or take about three and a half steps away from me. When I got home, I tried to nap. The sinuses said 'ah-ah, not now' and proceeed to make me reach for tissues about every 3 minutes or so. That was a real 'been there, done that' moment and I was about to seek out the previous successful cough remedy (see last post).
Then something happened that really began to trouble me.
I began to wheeze.
It was an odd kind of fizzy-feeling, down-at-the-base-of-the-throat wheeze. And it bothered me because I'd never had that kind of symptom before. So I called the doc for a sick-call appointment, went in to find out what was going on. Now I'm hacking, wheezing, blowing the nose every other minute or so. The doc can hardly do her exam on me because I'm jumping up from the table, grabbing for tissues, apologizing between coughing fits. So she calls in another doctor, this one who is apprently a specialist in lung stuff (yes, I KNOW there's a real name for it, I don't recall it right off of the top of my head, and I will not be impressed if you reply just to correct me). This woman puts the stethescope on my chest, listens to me wheeze, and the next thing I know I'm given a breathing test, then I'm put on a nebulizer to snort vapors for about 10 minutes or so. When all is said and done, I'm prescribed three seperate drugs, one of them being a steroid, which means I can't play professional sports now. Another dream cruelly shattered. Sigh.
But the first thing I noticed as I left the room I was in was that I could breathe. No hacking, no wheezing, not even boogers anymore. I stood in the hallway, completely dumbfounded for a few moments until a woman standing behind me began looking like she wanted to whack me over the head with her shoe. So I paid my bill and left. Got in the car, I was still breathing. Went home, still okay. I kept taking deep, luxurious breaths and looking around like I was waiting for someone to pop out and say "Sorry, just kidding", and b**ch-slap me with the old symptoms again. But no one showed up. Have to go back on Monday to get a follow-up test, though.
The medical assistant was a nice woman. She gave me a lollipop and I got to keep the nose-clip from my breathing test. I felt like I got a tiny little piece of my old self back.
But enough of that.
I am going to attempt to make regular LJ entries this year. I am going to say once a month at the very least, because I know how I am and the idea of making a daily entry simply doesn't appeal to me, so I don't see it happening. But that's okay. I expect to change this year, really change, and I'm looking forward to those changes with quiet anticipation. Perhaps in time I actually may write something worth reading. Or at least stop the whining after a bit.
Stay tuned. Or not. Doesn't matter. Really. |
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| Home Remedies |
[Nov. 23rd, 2007|04:35 pm] |
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I have recently contracted the regional seasonal disease of the area. My head is packed with cotton, my throat feels like I've been swallowing handfuls of safety glass (you know, the stuff that breaks up into neat little squarish chunks instead of slivers), and I'm a walking snot factory. Went to the Doc, got some funky antibiotics and some Calritin prescribed. This kind of annoys me, because I'm very anti-medication, but I had to cave this time. Sinus infections don't play games.
So about the third day into my recovery, things are beginning to clear up but I'm still having this nagging hack of a cough. A neighbor of mine suggested a remedy, the exact details which I won't post here because it might offend a few groups, but I will say I gargled with about half a shot of it and it worked. Like a charm. Nose is still stuffy, but by golly the throat is clear and I'm not hacking up half a lung anymore. And as a side bonus, I can roast marshmallows with my breath and a handy Bic lighter.
Just kidding.
But seriously...
My Sis had suggested lemon juice and salt the day before. Someone else I know said plain old salt water - like a tablespoon in a cup of warm water, gargle until all used up. If you've heard of anything interesting and it doesn't involve industrial style chemicals, let me know. I'd be interested to hear of it. Might even try it if I need another throat-clearing. |
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| I May Not Amount To Much... |
[Jun. 22nd, 2007|09:18 pm] |
But buddy, I got PLATELETS. Yessiree.
A typical platelet count for an average person is in the range of 200 - 250.
My count is 386.
That's a lot of friggin' platelets.
They love me at the Red Cross.
Basically, a person that's been through any kind of chemo loses platelets in the process. When they get an infusion to replace what they've lost, it's better if they can get two donations from one person than separate infusions from different donors. A person donating platelets can give a single, double or triple donation from a visit. The maximum a donor can remain on apheresis is 120 minutes.
I can give a double in less than half that time. I am shooting for a triple donation in an hour's time. So far, I've been on the apheresis machine for up to 53 minutes per each donation and I'm giving high splits - over 2 units, less than 3. The phlebotomist that worked on me last time set the machine for 59 minutes...I may have hit the triple then but I won't see the results until the next time I donate.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Big fat hairy deal, right?
But at least I know I'm good for something.
I am PLATELET WOMAN.
Hear me - umm.
Never mind. |
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| My Life, the Plant |
[Jun. 22nd, 2007|08:49 pm] |
So the final session I had with my therapist, he gave me an Aloe Vera plant. And I said to him "Look, I don't know to take care of plants, I'll kill it!" It's the truth. My grandmother and my mother are both green thumbs and they can do that crap where you pinch off one leaf and make it grow into a whole new plant. My mother made a Gardenia bush thrive and bloom, and I've heard that Gardenias are notoriously had to do that with. I don't know why she bothered, though. The blooms were very beautiful, almost brilliant white, but I did not care for their scent.
Anyway...
He hands me the plant and says, "Learn how to nurture things."
Great.
So I take the plant home. And it lasts for a week. Then two. Then three. And then it starts shooting out all these extra little bits all around. So I make up my mind to transplant the big one to a new pot and give the little ones some pots of their own to grow in. I get fresh, rich soil and carefully transplant all into their new homes.
Bad, bad move.
All the little shoots died, more from my neglect than anything else. I simply forgot to water them. The Aloe Vera doesn't need much water to begin with, but I didn't even give them the bare minimum. And the big plant had some trouble with the lower leaves withering so I pinched them off. Suddenly my happy little plant family was reduced to almost nothing. It made me sad for some odd reason - as if there aren't other more weighty matters in the world for me to worry about.
Just today, while wandering around in a half-wistful daze, I stopped in a bargain closeout store and took a look around. I found a nice, shiny ceramic pot that was a very pretty blue and I brought it home to put what's left of the plant into. It dawned on me while undertaking this transplant (and spilling soil all over the shag carpet in the process, ARG) that what this plant had experienced thus far was a close parallel in some ways to my post-therapy existance. And like this plant, I have pinched leaves and nicks and flaws that are not all necessarily of my own doing.
But we are both still growing.
It looks pretty good in its fancy new pot. I hope it lives. |
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|
| And Another Thing... |
[Jun. 14th, 2007|07:14 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  mellow | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Stand A Chance" from the Big O Sound Score | ] |
Completely different subject this time.
I was at a meeting at the local Barnes and Noble, discussing what I'd have to do to help out with Harry Potter Midnight Madness planned at the store for July 17th. I think the most interesting part of it all is the fact that I have never read the books, only seen bits of one of the movies because a friend of mine had it playing at her house. I'm just in it for the fun of making things. I used to work as part of the set crew for a local acting club and I had big scads of fun back then when I wasn't ducking and dodging all of the egos. Actors tend to think very highly of themselves regardless of how big or small the setting.
But I digress.
Anyway, I get to make some tree standups in order to decorate the DVD section for a Haunted Forest setting. I'm still pondering how to make some props that are easy to set up, easy to take down, but it won't be difficult. Just need to get back into my old groove.
So the meeting is over, and I head home to get my crystal ball and bring it back to the store. It's needed as a prop for a fortune teller that will be present that evening. Everyone is fascinated by it. It's large (150 mm) and heavy (about 9 lbs or so) and it sits in a trapeziodal cut crystal base. The inset where the ball sits is highly polished and if you touch the crystal ball to move it, it glides around whisper smooth on the base. One woman keeps asking me if it's real. I suppose it is, and I tell her as much.
Out of the clear blue sky, someone says that the Roach Lady is here. I am thinking 'WTF?' when a woman enters the store carrying a small plastic cage with a towel wrapped around it. And inside the cage...
There are roaches.
Not just any roaches, either. They are Madagascar Hissing Roaches. And they are her pets. And they are about 2-2 1/2 inches long on the average. One girl is like 'roaches - SQUEEEEEE' and she backs off a few yards. I am too fascinated to be creeped out. The woman opens the lid, takes them out for poeple to see. Pictures are snapped via cell phones. One woman actually lets one crawl on her hand. The bug is real mellow. It barely moves across her hand as it takes in the situation with casual flicks of its feelers.
After a bit of qawking I decided that the amusement factor was done with and I packed up the crystal ball to put back in the Manager's office for safekeeping. It was set right beside a broom prop that was pretty nifty-looking. Then I decided to add some extra holes in my head and buy a couple of books before I left.
As I was leaving the parking lot, I thought that it seemed like, between the crystal ball and the roaches, we were all acting like a bunch of kids for a little while. But not in a bad way. For a few moments, everyone peeled back those thick outer layers of 'adult', and had some simple fun. With bugs and a big glass ball. Kinda cool.
I need more of those moments.
Seriously.
Not necessarily involving roaches, though. |
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| Expensive Fluff, Part 2 |
[Jun. 14th, 2007|07:11 pm] |
Wow - they sent her back to jail. Who would have figured?
That was a milk thing - it did my body good.
I still think my prediction for once she gets out of jail will hold true. You don't live the life of a pampered, spoiled brat and suddenly change just because you got your hand slapped once.
Poor mister Sheriff. I guess Grampa Hilton won't be making any more contributions. |
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| Expensive bit of Fluff that she is... |
[Jun. 7th, 2007|03:26 pm] |
|
I don't really know why I'm doing this, but I am.
After skimming over the news concerning Ms. Hilton and the circus we call our justice system, I predict the following:
Paris's arrogance will be fully restored to it's former levels during her slap-on-the-wrist house arrest. Well wishers will send her all sorts of cards, flowers and an inordiante amount of stuffed animals in the form of cute dogs. She'll spend her days in interviews and writing a book about her stressful ordeal in prison, entitled Mein Kampf.
Once the house servants are done with their baby-sitting job, she'll celebrate her freedom by going back out and doing the very thing she got pooh-poohed over - drinking and driving. But if the cops actually bother to chase her this time, she'll run to avoid being caught (for embarrasment's sake - she's already proven she's above the law) and have a spectacular wreck.
Hopefully no one will be hurt during the fiasco. |
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| After Tekko... |
[May. 1st, 2007|07:07 pm] |
|
I went to Tekko on the weekend of April 13.
ROCKAGE.
It was so cool in so many ways. I don't even know where to begin, so I'll grab the first things that come to mind...
====================================================
I got to use a radio like I was a real Tekko Staff person [wait, I really WAS a Tekko Staff person]. Yay for the radio!
Gashapon, gashapon, gashapon.
Tachikoma!
Bob Barker in black Imperial Officer uniform ist Überhot. Truly. [Sorry Bob, it had to be said.]
More gashapon.
Three cheers for Gouf Squishy [That's a diorama featuring a Zentraedi Battle Pod with a person being crushed under one foot for the uninitiated].
Went to the con myself AND got the T-shirt.
Tonberries!
Copic Markers rule and I am currently plotting how to get some more.
Gashapon with a side order of gashapon.
MARI IIJIMA!!!!
Saw some really good cosplay. Batou, R. Dorothy and the Spike Bros. were among my faves [well, not exactly sure they were brothers, but...] No picutres, sadly. Note to self, glue camera to forehead for next Tekko.
The evil bottle of Lipovitan that I have yet to drink - a horrid amount of caffeine stuffed into a tiny 3.3 oz bottle for my drinking pleasure. I was warned by the dealer who sold it that he wasn't responsible for what happened to me if I drank it, so naturally I had to buy a bottle to take home with me. Might try tossing it down over a weekend just to see what it does.
Watched Gouf perform the Ritual of Ass-Chroming. It is quickly becoming a time-honored tradition.
More Gashapon.
===================================
I suppose I could think of more if I really put my mind to it, but overall it was a great time. Looking forward to next year. |
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| Tekko Bot, Version 2.0 |
[Mar. 13th, 2007|07:04 pm] |
|
Okay...
First of all, thanks to all for the feedback. To say I'm a little nervous about getting it right is an understatement.
So far I've altered the shoulder pads and the chest detail. Forearm guards need a bit of adjustment, but I already know how I'm going to handle that. Lower legs have been omitted for now because I ended up too close to the bottom of the paper to finish them off properly [insert frown here].
This is looking much better. I said that he looked good plain white, but after playing about with it a bit, I think I'm liking the red. I may alter the little piece in the center of the helmet color-wise for the sake of a little contrast. Once that's done I'll think up a weapon for him to carry. He needs a cool blade weapon. Or a big honking gun. Or both.
This is my project for the rest of the week and the weekend, so I'm still tweaking and tinkering. I guess I'll have to change the color scheme of Tekko-chan's pilot outfit to match, but that won't take much. |
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| HUZZAH...! |
[Mar. 12th, 2007|05:20 pm] |
|
So I'm having a chat with Duncan yesterday, and I'm whining about the bot I'm designing for Tekko cover art. I like to whine to Duncan about such things because a) He's known me long enough to understand and give me cheese to go with the whine, and b) being the creator of Kit Bash, I can pick his brain for pointers on mecha. And I'm like, 'Whine-whine-whine-can't-even-DRAW-mecha-whine-whine-whine-looks-like-HELL-whine-whine-whine-whine.' So Duncan says, out of the clear blue sky and in a matter-of-fact tone:
"Nay, you draw people well. Why not try making a mech that's more on the organic side, something along the lines of Rahxephon?"
PING.
I grabbed pencil and paper and began to sketch at that very moment. And I made more progress in 10 minutes than I had in weeks. Sure, it's still in rough stage. But it's nothing that the strategic application of some French curves and an overdose of caffeine won't fix.
And...here he is - Tekko bot:
As I said, some details to clean up, planning to add some simple panel lines on the shoulder pieces. Was trying to think of a color to make him, but I think I like him white. Face and body underneath the armor to be silver. And yeah, the color scheme as it is looks kinda Gundam-ish, but that's on purpose. Duncan, I owe you dinner. |
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| To Blog or Not to Blog, That is the Question. |
[Jan. 5th, 2007|06:07 pm] |
|
I really didn't get the blog thing at first, but I think it's starting to grow on me. It's more fun to read the things that some of my friends have written, though, because they do some cool things.
There's Lordkhyron and his Ton of Travelling Geek Gadgets. I just like seeing how the world unfolds from his point of view. And Gouf, who is building the Liger From Hell (tm). No foolin', that's gonna be one bada$$ kitty kat model when done.
I dunno if I've really contributed much of entertainment value myself...Jedi costume, computer talk, strange images in the yolks of eggs.
Hmm...nope.
I suppose I could talk about energy auras and how I can see them. I can teach you how to see yours, too. All you need is a white piece of paper, a command of your breathing (through the diaphragm), and about 10 or so minutes of uninterrupted time, if that. I have to prep a couple of notes for that, though. Stay tuned. |
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| I think I'm a Geek now... |
[Dec. 31st, 2006|04:34 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Monkeyshelter | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  thoughtful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Old 70's songs on the radio | ] |
It's done. I finally finished building my new computer. This is the first one I built from scratch instead of just plugging in extra memory and such. Was a tad nervous putting the CPU in place - socket 775 has all sorts of ways to go squirrely if you don't handle it with a delicate touch. I slapped on a pair of latex gloves and did the deed. Had a moment of panic when the CPU didn't seat on the first try, ve-r-r-r-ry carefully lifted it out of the socket and re-seated it again, this time with success. Then I celebrated my victory by going off to engage in some random body cavity searches since I already had the gloves on...
Just kidding.
The heatsink was a bitch. One of the little snap-in legs had bent slightly outward and I didn't realize this as I was trying to shove it into the hole on the mobo. I had to yank all the clips loose, squeeze and shove them all back into place once more. To make a long story short, I got the heastsink settled in only to find that my temp was way out of whack. This was because during my first struggle with the heatsink, the grease got smeared about to the point where it needed to be reapplyed. Fresh set of gloves, wipe old grease away, fresh coat of gel, back in it goes.
Hmm. That sounds like I'm still on the cavity search thing, doesn't it?
Anyhow...
After a series of silly little escpades (like wondering why it wouldn't turn on, only to find that I hadn't attached the front panel wires as of yet), I got the thing together and it is that very same unit that I am making this entry with.
Here is a pic of Big Dual in his current state:
He has a touch-sensitive panel on the front - no buttons. Wasn't as hard to set up as they made it sound at Tiger Direct, which is where I bought the case from. The tricky part was placing the temperature sensor. There's a temperature display on the front panel which requires the placement of a tiny sensor to give a reading on the CPU, but it's off by about 20 degrees C or so. The only way I could probably get a really precise reading would be to jam the sensor between the CPU and the heatsink, and that ain't happening. Right now it's as close as it can get, about 2-3 mm from the bottom edge of the CPU housing itself.
I'm still installing software, but it's mostly done - I have my Corel Photo-Paint and my Nevercrack (Neverwinter Nights to the uninformed) ready to go, so what else do I need, really?
Da Monkey and Big Dual both wish everyone a Happy New Year.
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| Ooopsie... |
[Dec. 25th, 2006|06:53 pm] |
|
I think I missed a couple of syllables in that. Anyway...take care, be well. |
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