Category: public health

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reflecting on a few news items

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First up, something wonderful, because the last things are very, very disappointing. A couple of times, I have written previously about how I was really proud of athletes in the Olympics, specifically Michael Phelps, but there was one guy that I am beaming over even more. Matthew Mitcham is an Australian diver that took the gold in his event; even though it was highly favored to go to the Chinese (as all 7 other medals in diving did). One small thing… he’s gay! He was actually the only out gay male athlete to win a medal at the Olympics, and it was not only an upset victory, but he took home gold! After his medal ceremony, he ran up to the stands to embrace his mother and his partner. It’s great that the gay community can embrace another positive role model; an Olympic champion! Woo hoo! Make sure to check out the video of his performance and his medal ceremony, which apparently caused some controversy, because it wasn’t broadcast in full, and which is posted below:


Inspirational, to say the least!

Next, this harrowing revelation that HIV infection rates continue to not only soar, but that they are soaring at an even higher rate in New York City. We are more than 25 years into this disease; when are people going to take testing, safe sex, and prevention more seriously? I know that it is hard to do, but it is clear that people are ignoring something, because the increase in HIV rates cannot be described by “mistake” alone… get tested, and be safe people! YOUR LIFE depends on it!

This makes me feel so ill, that I want to violently puke. Seriously. Such a raping of human rights is disgusting, and should not be tolerated; especially in a country that we are currently occupying!!! What are we doing America? If we really want to make things better for the people of Iraq (which is continually touted as our mission), why not ALL Iraqi people?? Do the gay ones just not matter to us? It disgusts me that gay people are being treated so horribly, and being hunted in Iraq. Why can’t we offer them asylum? Why can’t we offer them protection? What are we even doing to help them? We have GOT to do something; these are freaking human beings, and they clearly have been put into a worse situation because of our actions. I can’t believe that things like this are allowed to happen; it really, REALLY lowers my faith in humanity. I will never understand how people can, a) be so cruel to their own people, and b) why we can’t do something to stop it if we are already there, ESPECIALLY since the situation they are in is a direct result of our military actions in Iraq? It’s not just gay people either, but they are actively being hunted… and it’s wrong! It just makes me shake my head, and hope that those gay people facing this “hunt” are lucky enough to get out with their lives intact. I will never ever understand religious fanaticism; it always seems to do way more harm than good.

Finally, a great piece of graffiti. Damn, sometimes, you just have to reflect, and feel good about the things that are going right in life; things could be worse.

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olympics, netvibes, and redefining contraceptives (REALLY?!)?

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First up, how proud does it make you feel when you see people like Michael Phelps smashing world records and getting all of those gold medals!? I have to say, that it definitely makes me proud of him for what he has achieved. Also, I can’t seem to get past the bad mouthing that teams get when they “beat us”; meaning that they get the gold and we get anything but gold. Seriously, mistakes happen, and performances aren’t always the best, but let’s not be sore “losers” America… a sliver is still pretty fucking good.

I have been using Netvibes for a very long time, and after the redesign, it has been like a dream feed-reader. However it is doing this new thing where it won’t save a feed for a new item, and that is really pissing me off. Is it doing that to anyone else? Seriously, if you have to enter the feed every time you use the damn thing, what is the point of even adding them?? It is doing this to two websites that are unrelated, and that both have active and working feeds. If you have experienced this, let me know, and hopefully, you can tell me how to fix my Netvibes.

Finally, my friend Deb brought this to my attention today (which makes me wonder why it isn’t getting MORE MSM press than it is): apparently, Bush and some of his fellow conservatives are trying to redefine contraception as abortion. Holy fuck, where in the hell are these people’s minds? As one person says so very well, these are the same people that don’t think it is the government’s responsibility to take care of the people that need actual abortions or assistance as a result of having limited access to, or knowledge of the importance in using contraception. There have been a lot of STUPID things to come out of this administration, but this is a complete violation of responsibility or care for women’s health. This is just dumb, and I can’t believe that they are trying to do this shit. January cannot come fast enough; this nut job has got to go! Seriously, what do you think about this? I mean, redefining contraception (which PREVENTS pregnancy) as abortion (which ENDS pregnancy, a pregnancy that has ALREADY OCCURRED) is completely insane!!! I just can’t believe the rampant stupidity that exists in some people these days. UGH! It’s almost like the “Bush way” is to take common sense, and actual fact-based knowledge, and then throw that out the window and go with the direct opposite (which is also supported by facts stating that it should be your LAST option). *massive face palm*

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really… are people really this stupid?

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I saw this on towleroad this morning, and it seriously pissed me the fuck off:

Last night on Big Brother 9’s live feed, gay housemate Joshuah attempted to educate James, Chelsia, and Sharon on the ins and outs (so to speak) of gay sex. He also spreads some misinformation about protecting oneself from HIV:

“I do bareback with my boyfriend. We’ve both been tested for HIV and we’re both negative so it’s cool. I only do that with my boyfriend. I don’t do that on a random one night stand. That’s too risky. If you’re a top it’s okay because you can’t really get HIV from being the top because you’re penetrating them…”

I just want to know; are people really as stupid as this, or is this dumb ass alone in his thinking? Well, clearly, he isn’t alone, as the rates of infection continue to increase amongst gay men, which is not only disheartening, but it is disturbing. Yet, I still cannot even fathom why people are still this moronic about something as HUGE as HIV! Why on earth are people stupid enough to believe that you can’t get HIV if you are a top? Where did this moronic idea come from, and why is it, that gay men STILL believe it?!?!

It blows my mind. I have worked in HIV prevention for many years, and hearing shit like this just sends me over the edge. A part of me wants to say, “people just CAN’T believe that, because clearly, people are smarter than that… aren’t they?”, but I know that people really are this stupid. What has to happen to you for you to get it? Do you have to get IT? I just don’t understand how something as serious as HIV is taken so lightly, especially after it has been around for so very long. It is baffling.

So I’m going to put this out there, for all the morons: YES Virginia, you CAN get HIV if you are a top. Wear a condom you idiot, because clearly, you aren’t smart enough to know better. Wake the fuck up, and realize that this thing is called a goddamned epidemic for a reason.

/rant

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maybe mine aren’t working (?)

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I have talked about my continual battle with depression on this blog before, and today, I saw something that I felt compelled to discuss. First of all, I should mention, in case it isn’t “known”, that I take a SSRI for my depression. I have for a long time, and often times, I wonder if it even works, because I still find that I go through bouts of moderate to severe depression. Well, after reading this, I can’t help but wonder if the medication is actually “treating” the depression.

In the article, they discuss a study that was done to compare the “clinical effectiveness” of several SSRIs (mine is listed), in order to see if the benefit of the drug was more than a simple placebo. What’s interesting, is that they found that across the board for those drugs that they looked it, it wasn’t (except in cases of extreme depression). This makes me wonder about the drug that I take every morning to “prevent” my depression; especially since, as I mentioned, it hasn’t actually gone away at any time during the course of my “treatment”.

I am not saying that I don’t believe the drugs have any benefit. Even the placebo effect is proven to have a benefit, and that may account for some of these findings. However, I do think that it is easy to wonder, that if you take drugs to help with a problem, and the problem doesn’t seem to want to go away, then perhaps those drugs aren’t working for you. The article also mentioned that trying therapy first would probably be a new recommendation; but I did that, and still ended up taking medication, a medication that I am now even more curious about.

I know that the medication must have some benefits. I don’t have anxiety as intense as I did before I took (at least I don’t think that I do). I also know (through the magic of therapy), that my depression is more likely than not, tied to my anxiety. So, if the medication is working on the anxiety, but it doesn’t have an effect on the depression, what does that mean? Should I be taking a different class of medication to deal with the depression as well? Or, am I “better” than I was before, and I just don’t know it? Maybe the drugs are working, and I just don’t know the difference because I have been taking them so long? I find myself riddled with questions right now.

This is something that I think might be worth exploring further. I may make a doctor’s appointment to find out more about what may or may not be a better option for me.

One issues I do have, is that the article goes so far as to say that the medications “don’t work”, citing it is below clinical significance. That is to say, that just because it wasn’t statistically significant, they have proven that it doesn’t work; which really doesn’t make sense, if it did work on the minority of those “not-statistically-significant-so-forget-them” patients. This is where the cynic about clinical research in me steps in, because I always question its reliance on numbers, and a lack of perspective on the individual that may benefit… In the case of a drug that MAY benefit some that has very few side effects (for adults), why would they declare that it simply doesn’t work, just because it doesn’t work more often than not? Additionally, if it doesn’t work most of the time, why have they waited until now to tell people that are taking it?

What’s your take on this? If you take one of these medications, is this going to effect your future treatment? Does it concern you that your medication may not be doing what you need it to? What do you think?

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octopus: a MUST see

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Yesterday, James and I went to a matinée showing of Steve Yockey’s amazing play, Octopus. I have been very eager to see the show, especially since Steve had sent me the script last year, and when I read it, I was completely moved by it. When he told me it was going to be put on at Actor’s Express, I was delighted for him, and anxious to see it brought to life.

The play deals with issues and consequences that can come from “having a little fun”, and not paying attention to the great monster that is waiting at the bottom of the sea. Octopus expertly uses an interestingly playful, as well as frightful, metaphor in order to tackle intense issues surrounding relationships, and what happens when things suddenly change; even when you promised each other that they wouldn’t.

The show was moving, poignant, gripping, and at times, even laugh out loud funny. I could really feel what the actors were saying, and really identified with many of the main characters. Being gay, and in a relationship myself, it is hard to think about what would happen if something unexpected, and horrible, were to suddenly thrust itself between us. Would we react in the way that those characters did? Hopefully, I will never have to answer that question myself.

Now, I know that I am being cryptic, but honestly, I don’t want to give away the very thing that the play seeks to show you; the message is strong, and really does hit close to home.

It succeeds on every level; it is entertaining, and it really engages you and forces you to think about the consequences of your actions. Just because you get lost in the moment during a random sexual encounter, doesn’t mean that there won’t be massive ramifications to both you and your partner. Steve uses the unseen “monster” to truly hammer home the point that a lack of attention to the truth of consequence is really missing for many young (and old) gay men in today’s dangerous world. He makes a strong statement about how denial and ignorance only make you defenseless in preventing the beast from devouring you, or someone that you love. He goes further to challenge you into seeing that consequences are often not very easy to deal with for either partner, and sometimes, those reactions are devastating in and of themselves. It was masterfully written, and the stage direction and effects are phenomenal.

You must see Octopus. It will move you, and it may even make you want to cry, but it reminds us to be mindful of our actions, and know that there are consequences to everything that we do and say; especially within the concept of a relationship. Being mindful is the key to preventing that monster from devouring us all.

Octopus is playing NOW at Actor’s Express, and on through February 23. Don’t miss it!!!

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why is gay marriage an issue?

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I keep hearing all of this stuff about trying to find each presidential candidate’s position on gay marriage, and I have ask… why is gay marriage an issue that should be the concern of a president? Seriously? The issue is not gay marriage; it is civil rights. Marriage is the word that the use to describe the religious procedure of getting bound to another person for life. The only thing that could make it an issue, is that it is currently recognized by the government as a legal union, and there are privileges that come with its status. However, it is not the issue, and I don’t get why we are so concerned with that word; marriage.

I would happily take a civil union any day; so long as it afforded me EQUAL rights. I don’t give two shits about calling my partnership a “marriage” vs. calling it a “civil union”; so long as we are treated equally under the law of our government. I personally think that should be more of the focus, as this issue will always be used as more of a wedge than anything, and no person in their right mind is going to go up against the juggernaut that is the Christian church. Also, isn’t there supposed to be a separation of church and state? So again, why not stop calling it “gay marriage” as an issue?

I think that if you get married, good for you; you should also have to file for a civil union, which should be the only union the government officially recognizes. Make it standard for everyone, and make it available for gays and lesbians as well. Keep marriage in the churches, take religion out of the equation, and things can be more acceptable for everyone, right? Perhaps this is too simple of a concept, but it boggles my mind that gay marriage is all anyone ever asks about when it comes to gay and lesbian rights and a presidential candidate. (what about gay civil rights of other people throughout the world? I think that should be a huge concern of ours as well; but that is a more lengthy conversation).

I realized this more fully when I was reading what Obama said, and the “reaction” from some of the gays that he was against gay marriage. We don’t need to fight for religious justification; we need to fight for equality. Sure, the fight for gay marriage is a fight for equality, but it isn’t necessarily the same thing; take religious practice out of the picture officially. These church driven people are NEVER going to give us the “right” to take their “sacred” practice (now with a 50+% failure-rate!) for ourselves, so we should just drop the shit already. I am tired of continually giving it back to them so they can wedge it between what’s really important and this dance that we have been stuck in forever. I am for equality; nothing less, nothing more. Doesn’t that sound like a more fruitful fight?

Unrelated link: This is quite fascinating if it is true; apparently, the first AIDS case was in 1969 in the US. This makes me wonder; why didn’t it spread to the epic proportions that it has today? What was the factor that caused it to spread so rapidly in the 1980s that was different 11 years earlier? If this man was the first documented case of AIDS, how many people had it before him; and who infected him? It really turns the notion of epidemiology on its head, because it really did occur in a seemingly singular incident. Weird.

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contraception to be offered to middle school students; and?

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So apparently, there is a slight hub-bub about kids being offered contraceptives after an “outbreak” of pregnancies among middle school kids. AND?

Now, regardless of any objection about providing contraceptives for any reason, I want to know why we are not providing them with sex education that is the most effective? Wouldn’t that eliminate the need for this “controversial” take on preventing teenage pregnancy? How come our government still clings to the utter nonsense that is abstinence only education?

If people still think that kids are not having sex, and want to continue with the utter and complete BULLSHIT that is abstinence only education, I seriously think they need to be beaten about the head and shoulders; in hopes that it would knock some fucking sense into them. The time to reform sex education is BEFORE a string of pregnancies; which I might need to remind people that focus on abstinence only education, is caused by having sex. That’s right! Kids are totally doing it, no matter how far you want to go in convincing yourself that they are not.

What really got me worked up in reading this article, is that it mentions that condoms are available, but it doesn’t say to what capacity that they are recommended. Under federal guidelines for sex education, it is my knowledge that they would not be recommended at all, and in some cases, even discouraged, and represented as an ineffective means of preventing pregnancy and STDs. To piggyback on that thought, it really frustrates me that they are so willing to try and prevent pregnancy, without any thought or stance on preventing STD transmission. Sure, having a baby is a big deal, but so is getting HIV! Where’s the concern? (did someone say, love the fetus, hate the child? oh…)

For me, this totally relates to whether girls getting a vaccine for cervical cancer, and how it could be seen as “controversial”. If you can PREVENT a disease by practicing certain things, why wouldn’t you want to encourage those things among the greater population? In all seriousness, to continue to follow this “bury your head in the sand and it will go away” method of treating our nation’s children and their “non” behaviors, is about as backward thinking as it can get. The whole take our government has on childhood sexual education makes me want to fucking scream. Grrrr….

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busy week ahead…

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This week, I have two midterms, one each in Statistics and Anatomy Lab. Needless to say, I have hit the “frustration, procrastinator-to-the-max” level of stress; I need to study, but I am too worried about the tests that I just end up wasting time being frustrated about them. Gah. I am sure that I will get to studying later on this evening though, because the sheer amount of information that I have to have memorized for the Anatomy lab is amazingly terrifying. There really is no winging a 50 question fill in the blank test. The statistics test isn’t much better… she isn’t giving us any formulas. Also, she must really hate us, because there is not only new content today and tomorrow that WILL be on the midterm, but there is also a quiz tomorrow. Seriously. I mean, I know that things need to be structured and whatnot, but this class is insane. I just hope that I can get it all done in time, and be prepared for both tests; which are nicely on the same day: Thursday.

Just some thoughts that I have been pre-occupied with today (when I should have been studying):

  • The Bird and The Bee are awesome. I picked up a new EP called “Please Clap Your Hands” over lunch, and I am really enjoying it. I love their CD, and am not surprised that I like this too. Definitely a fun group.
  • Now, I know there are tons of opponents to socialized medicine out there, but I don’t see how providing health care for children that don’t have it is a bad thing (healthy children is a GOOD THING!). I just don’t. You are not going to convince me that spending $60 billion dollars over five years on something that is necessary, like health coverage for children that don’t have it, is a bad thing; especially when you consider that we have already spent $450+ billion on a war in Iraq. Is it really that bad to want to take care of Americans? What’s the point of being “free” if you are sick and dying? I am over this whole, “Love the fetus, hate the child” mentality that much of the Republican party clings to, and I for one, hope that Bush doesn’t veto this bill. Now, bitch and moan about why providing health care to those that don’t have it is bad; just be sure to refer to world health statistics and figures regarding life expectancy, and make sure you see where we fall on that list.
  • This just pisses me the fuck off. Seriously, we do NOT support our troops; that is, our government doesn’t support them. If there is one priority that is PARAMOUNT in this country, it is taking care of those that served FOR us. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME. I am sick of this. Many of you have accused me of “not supporting the troops”, and obviously, I am expecting more support than is currently being provided.
  • If you have commented on this blog, and you don’t see your comment show up in a reasonable amount of time, chances are, one of two things has happened: 1) your comment was eaten by my spam filter, and you should try and post it again (this is usually ONLY for new commenters, or comments that have lots of links in them); OR 2) your comment is not adding anything to the conversation, other than hateful, meaningless remarks that I don’t have the time to validate, reply to, or approve for appearance on my blog. I am saying this, because there is at least one person that continues trying to “get my goat” by leaving ridiculous and baiting/hateful comments, and I just wanted that person to know that unless there is something that you wish to add, that isn’t just hateful and absurd, then keep it to yourself; as I no longer have time to validate your asinine behavior.

Well, I guess that’s about it, really. Hope everyone is making the best of a Monday! Now… back to the books for me!

is it just me?, near and dear, politics, public health, tragic, venting, well?, wtf?!

why don’t we help the sick?

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I read this article this morning, and frankly, it made me mad. I mean, we spend so much money on so many things that we shouldn’t, and yet, we cut funding that provides for those suffering from AIDS (which I definitely think anyone can agree that is something that is important). The weird thing about these cuts, is that AIDS cases, and the needs of those afflicted with HIV/AIDS, are increasing every year. It is estimated that 40k new cases of HIV a year are diagnosed in the US alone, and of those cases, many of them are being found among the minorities and poor of this country. Adding insult to injury, the drugs, treatment, care, and supplies that they need to live on are exuberantly priced, and as such, they are in a lose-lose situation.

Since we know this, where is the (moral?) justification for cutting the funding provided for these things, that work to provide people with services? This is a clear example of how we lack a basic sense of true social security in our nation. Frankly, it scares me on another level, because it shows how, as a society, we are lacking the area of compassion, even when we have more than enough means to make it reality. What’s probably worse, is that this happens to those that are in an area where it is truly deserved; because of the nature of the system that our society operates within.

When I read things like this, I think, what’s next? Throwing old people out of their homes, and using their social security checks to beef up military contracts? When are we going to focus more on the “homeland” that we are supposedly doing so much to protect? I ask, because we constantly hear about protecting “this great nation”, and securing freedom and safety for the citizens of this country, all while we constantly shift our efforts away from the actual people that need our help in this country. It seems that we are only securing the “homeland” for a select few; those that are lucky enough not to get sick, and that have found themselves in a position of wealth without bad luck, or worse, failure.

The scary thing, is that the rich will be just fine, and the poor will just die out, if this continues. The middle class will become the new poor, and eventually, we will die out too. This is a bleak and realistic future for our country if we continue down this ridiculous track; so I ask, why don’t we help the sick? Is it inconceivable to think that, not only do we have the money to take care of every medical funding problem we currently face, we give it to contracts and a handful of corporations, instead of our own people? I don’t think that these are shocking revelations, so why isn’t it something that is being taken care of? Oh yeah… why would you give money to a poor person, when you are too greedy to do so, and instead, want it, and more, for yourself?

Earlier today I was misclassified as following current democratic trains of thought with regards to the war, and as I stated, I don’t always agree with what anyone in politics does. I find a lot of corruption, and not a lot of true philanthropic action. As of right now, I feel alone. The politicians are not people that truly represent the little guys (and increasingly, not even us “middle” guys), and funding cuts like this make it more and more clear that there is no interest in actually making this nation great for anyone other than the elite. There is no definitive compassion that comes without a bribe, an accompanying lobbyist, or greedy grin. I think that I am going to be sick the more I think about this; I just hope that I can afford to take care of myself, because my society is not willing help me out.

I feel helpless right now, and that just sucks. I am having the same feelings I had when I read Joseph’s post the other day, because it comes from the same line of thinking, only his has a specific focus on what we will do when we get older. If you don’t have the money, and your family will not, or cannot, take care of you, you are seriously fucked; the government is probably not coming to your aid. That is what these AIDS patients are facing, and I just don’t understand how that is okay. That is scary, but real, and I frankly am worried as hell.

Speaking of helpless, I read this article, and it made me so utterly sad for that kid (as well as other people that are disregarded in the name of “saving” them). Sometimes, I question what people really are doing when they say that they are working for the good of mankind; because sometimes (and more often than not it seems), it seems that they got it so wrong, that by their method of “helping”, they are causing way more harm than good. Frustrating.

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some scattered links and thoughts

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I have seen some interesting things today, so I thought to myself, “hey, that should be my post!”. So, here are some links to interesting things, and my thoughts on them. I will try not to let this go on too long, but this stuff is quite interesting folks; check it out and feel free to share your opinions as well.

  • We say that we want to rebuild Iraq, stabilize the country, and make it better for the citizens of Iraq, right? Well, why, then, are they suffering from a 60-70% unemployment rate, when our contractors are steadily filling jobs that the citizens themselves could do? If an engineer can’t find a job, there’s a problem. But, we have their best interests at heart, right? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
  • Hey intelligent design fanatics, can you please explain the presence of vestigiality, and how it fits within your non-evolutionary explanation of how we got here? mkthxsbbye. Methinks the evolutions are reals, y’all!
  • I have written about global warming before, and one of the biggest arguments presented as evidence that we were not the cause of our current warming trend was the so-called warming of the sun, and its effects on our atmosphere. Turns out, that is wrong, wrong, wrong. Apparently, the sun is actually not warming at all, and temperatures are currently lower because of the sun being in a period of low activity. Interesting. Methinks the humans are causing the global warmings, y’all! Dude, science is fucking awesome, isn’t it!? 😉
  • Apparently, and according to our president, when you get sick, or the fact that you are uninsured, it is your fault. Shame on you for purposefully breaking your arm by falling out of that tree, little Jimmy! You are such a twat, because now it is mommy’s fault that you can’t go to the hospital to get it fixed! Fucking people and their getting sick on purpose. It’s so weird, Mr. president, how we actually do have government medical programs like Medicare and Medicaid that actually work, and could provide those “sick-doers” some coverage; but I guess it is easier to blame people for their problems than it is to actually help them.
  • To piggyback on the last thought, if you really think that there isn’t a problem with the current health care situation, and that the government shouldn’t (or couldn’t) do something about it, be glad that you aren’t this guy; because if you were, you would be in debt up to your eye balls. But then again, I guess it was your fault, right? Ugh. I hate living in this country some times, because people really love to point the finger and place blame without thinking about those that suffer.
  • And finally, this (not sure if it is credible or true, but one can hope) is pretty awesome news: Drinking not only doesn’t kill brain cells, but it may actually be good for you!! Holy shit! Moderate drinking promotes good health! I’m in heaven!!! Who wants to come over and drink some wine?! Woo hoo! *glug glug glug… ah!*
  • UPDATE: I almost forgot to mention it; Sara Bareilles will be performing on Craig Ferguson tonight!! Make sure to catch this performance of this amazing artist! I know I keep going on an on about her, but she is amazing, and there is NO REASON that you should continue to ignore me, and go one more day without hearing her beautiful music, and experiencing her massive talent. Also, don’t forget to get her CD, Little Voice, which is not only MAGNIFICENT, it is out now!!

Well, I tried to keep it short. There it is kids, soak in up, take it in, swish it around a bit, and let me know what YOU think about it. Interesting stuff in the news, I tell ya!