Author: wwducat

About: Writer, Technology guy, Photographer, Possibly EX-Software QA Engineer, Worker Bee. Interests: SCUBA, Working out, Friends, New Views, New Vistas, Photography
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Drug Advertisements

Have you noticed the ad that’s been playing recently for the treatment of Fibromyalgia?
It’s a very interesting ad, especially for someone like me.

I’ve told my physician to his face that I think he’s only 2 or 3 steps removed from waving rattles and dancing around me in a loincloth to heal me. He’s a good guy and he’s not terribly offended by the comment. On the other hand it’s set the tone of our relationship. Since I’m not willing to accept anything he says as gospel, we’ve become partners in my health care.

His knowledge of medicine and my observation of my own body give us the best shot at keeping me around for a while.  I appreciate his compassion for me and patience with me because I know I’m a royal pain in the ass.

So along comes this ad. If you listen carefully to the wording its kind of funny and I’m sure It makes the Doc just cringe.

The Lines that really caught my attention were

After a description of the muscular neural-feedback in the body they say something like,

“It’s thought that this activity is responsible for the symptoms of fibromyalgia.”

Ok, I suppose I can get behind that statement. The next line that caught my attention was something like;

“(Our Drug), is thought to address this neural activity and may provide relief.”

With as much money as has been spent on R&D of these drugs wouldn’t you expect a little more definite statement?

Again I’m left with OGG the Witch-Doctor shaking rattles, dancing around the patient and then feeding the patient a cup of goat pee. (Would probably work too! While the patient is barfing up the goat pee they’re not thinking about their other problems.)

I think part of what caused this to get through my noise filters was the fact that  I KNOW most people heard something more like,

“We’re smart Doctors and scientists and we KNOW your nerves are whats causing you pain and suffering and our drug is the cure. Tell your doctor you want our drug and you’ll feel ever so much better.”

What I heard was;

“We’re guessing here that your nerves are the problem and we kinda think that this drug will maybe make you feel better. Quite frankly we’re pissing in the wind here but hey someone has to pay for the R&D it might as well be you.”

But then I’m a real Cynic.

As always think for yourself, Make you own decisions and don’t eat the pudding.

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Random thoughts.

Was out & about yesterday. Went to a recital and spent some time with friends.

I also noticed some of the plants blooming in the front yard and took some time to metaphorically smell the roses

Here are some of the shots.

This first one is a bearded Iris. Honestly given the abuse these plants have taken during the spring with odd weather and sudden freezes, I surprised they bloomed at all.

This is something called a Penstemon. These plants don’t like my yard very much since there’s a little too much water. Every once in a while one will make an appearance at a random spot. This one showed up next to the walkway and seems pretty happy.



This yellow thing is technically a weed. But while it’s blooming I leave it alone. after it’s done with the flowers its Weed Wacker time!

We’re finally getting nice weather and I have to admit that I’m enjoying the time I’m getting to spend at home.

Anything to keep me off the dang freeways! I hate driving around this area so much I can’t see straight.

I am looking forward to my upcoming trips and being able to see sights I’ve never seen. I’ve got my little puptent, my sleeping bag and

As soon as I finish up a few things here, I’m taking off for a while.
I’m hoping that I can share images and the random thought or two while I’m wandering. Provided that I can get the netbook to work the way I need it to.

I’m getting excited about going walkabout. Hoping I can clear my head and find my next path.

Failing that, at least I’ll see things I’ve never seen.

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Have you done a nose count this morning?

Looks like everyone I know is still here. Hummmm, It’s possible that I’ve been hanging out with the wrong crowd.

The LA Traffic maps still show that traffic is insane. Either the Apocalypse event didn’t happen OR LA is full of people that got left behind.

Based on the evidence I’m guessing that Preacher Campings’ version of The Rapture did not happen.

I feel a little sorry for some of his followers.
There was a radio interview with a young couple who had budgeted their savings to this end date.

They had both quit their jobs to spent their last months passing out doomsday pamphlets.

I remember thinking, On the one hand, that’s commitment, on the other hand what are they going to do the day after doomsday?

While I’m not terribly religious in any traditional sense, I do feel sorry for people like this. These folks have had their faith essentially used against them, it must cause a terrible crises of faith.

I do hope that someone in the religious community is keeping an eye on Preacher Campings followers in the event that some of them try to resolve the conflict by suicide.

As to the end of the world?? I suppose that we’ll just have to wait for the 12/21/2012 expiration date.

If the Maya were right, the Summer of 2013 should be great!

Uncrowded beaches, post apocalyptic anarchy, people running around in animal skins, you know, all the stuff that we’ve seen for years in movies

Until then party on folks.

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I’m such a prick!

I’m an asshole.
I admit it, sometimes I’ll start a fight over the stupidest things.
Here’s the deal, I’m in bed, I’ve just gotten two 80 pound dogs settled and am trying to drift off. Problem is, the lights and noise from the rest of the house. The TV is on in the living room and the canned laugh track is becoming more annoying by the second.
So I ask my much better half to just close the bedroom door for me. I think, no big deal right?
WRONG! “I’m coming to bed in just a few minutes, I just need to finish this little thing.”
The deal is that quite often when I ask for what I think is a simple thing, instead of getting a simple yes OR no I get endless excuses and explanations none of which are adding anything to the conversation, or in this case, going to allow me to freaking go to sleep.
In fact the longer the explanation the more of my brain that gets spun back up to process the incoming information. Which more often than not just pisses me off. Even in daily interactions I hate people telling me how to BUILD a clock when all I wanted was to know the time.
My reactions to these situations don’t help.
The following is not meant as an excuse otherwise I’d be guilty of the shit that I’m bitching about. It’s just a little background.
I’ve been feeling squeezed/compressed lately. There’s a lot of issues, mostly mine, but one of the things that’s bugging me is that I don’t feel like I have a place to work or spread my stuff out in the house that’s not in the living room or across the dining table. I HATE having shit out in the entertaining areas, If someone drops by, I always feel like the place is a pig sty, even if it’ not really that much of a mess. 
I know what some parts of the problem is, the house is too small, we have too much shit, and I’m worried about finding work.
I let this stupid “Baggage” combine and my mouth ran away from my common sense.
I said out loud “I miss my piece of shit one bedroom apartment and living alone.” 
As the words came out of my mouth, I thought FUCK!!!!! Where the hell did that come from?  While that is sometimes a true statement it’s not always the case. Regardless though it’s something I should never have said. Especially not to someone that has my best interests at heart even if I don’t always see it.
I’ve hurt feelings, You can’t take stuff like that back, and Yep! I’m a real asshole.
Now what do I say or do to apologize? Moreover, how many times can I apologize for being in general an Ass before I come home to an empty house?
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Unusual weather for So Cal

It’s cold and wet here.

We’ve been having really strange cold fronts wandering down from the north. It’s rained here for the past two days and there is snow in the upper elevations.

Snow in May, not completely unheard of here but rare.

I’m guessing that the ski resorts in the local area are pretty happy about it since they get to stay open a little longer.

There are those that say this is a result of climate change and OMG it’s all the Humans fault.
Maybe, but I tend to think that while we should be responsible and do all we can AS we can to minimize our impact on the planet. I’m also not convinced that the changes we’re seeing are anything other than part of a normal cycle.

After all much of human history has existed between ice ages. We know that the world has been much colder and also much warmer than it is currently.

I’d bet that if you were to ask a geologist he wouldn’t be able to tell you if we were going into another ice age or if we were going into another warming phase. Which is why no doubt the terms changed of the past several years.

Think about it, less than 10 years ago all we heard about was global warming, and how the world was going to be a desert. Now it’s Climate Change, because no-one can say for sure which direction we’re heading in.

For my part, I’m going to just try to enjoy the weather, I get so bored with “Its another perfect day in Southern California”…