Random stupid things on your mind. Post them.

[Sardondi]

I got my immature laugh for the day. Part of my brain is stunted at the fourth-grade level.

As is the owner of Massive Wieners...that is, unless his name is, uh, Tony Massive.

[General Johnson Jameson]

Watched an episode of shark week tonight. The Megalodon...DAMN! IT LIVES!!

[Eddie Coyle]

        Sitting in a sub shop waiting for my steak& cheese and onion rings. I noticed that the TV behind me had "Dr. Oz" on. On mute, I think. The shop owners are Greek immigrants, I wonder if there's some subliminal ironic mind fuck going on. 

         Or maybe they just have the TV on channel 25 all day. 

[Sardondi]

Sitting in a sub shop waiting for my steak& cheese and onion rings. I noticed that the TV behind me had "Dr. Oz" on. On mute, I think. The shop owners are Greek immigrants, I wonder if there's some subliminal ironic mind fuck going on. 

         Or maybe they just have the TV on channel 25 all day. 

A few years ago for Christmas someone gave me one of those "TV-B-Gone" remote zappers which could surreptitiously turn a tv off from across a room. (https://www.tvbgone.com/cfe_tvbg_main.php)

It would drive me crazy to go to a waiting area and have a tv blaring, and so often no one watching and everyone annoyed by the constant noise. Or worse, it's on something like Jerry Springer or some goddam diva show and someone is watching. (I would fantasize about throttling such people with my bare hands.) But with the handy tv zapper I would reach into my pocket, press the button and hold until it cycled through to the code for the particular brand of tv then playing, and, "Wha...what happened?!". Blessed silence. I lost it. But I don't see much evidence of people using them. Have the manufacturers (no doubt at the request of owners of waiting rooms across the country) developed countermeasures?

[onan]

A few years ago for Christmas someone gave me one of those "TV-B-Gone" remote zappers which could surreptitiously turn a tv off from across a room. (https://www.tvbgone.com/cfe_tvbg_main.php)

It would drive me crazy to go to a waiting area and have a tv blaring, and so often no one watching and everyone annoyed by the constant noise. Or worse, it's on something like Jerry Springer or some goddam diva show and someone is watching. (I would fantasize about throttling such people with my bare hands.) But with the handy tv zapper I would reach into my pocket, press the button and hold until it cycled through to the code for the particular brand of tv then playing, and, "Wha...what happened?!". Blessed silence. I lost it. But I don't see much evidence of people using them. Have the manufacturers (no doubt at the request of owners of waiting rooms across the country) developed countermeasures?

I want one of those for cell phones.

[Flaxen Hegemony]

Just realized how out of the loop I am in terms of following sports.  The Dodgers are in first place?  The Giants are in last?  The Houston Astros are now in the American League?  Time was I could name half a dozen guys on every team and the starting line-ups on the teams I like.  Now I can't name more than a half a dozen guys in the majors....

I hear ya.  There was a time I could be conversant in baseball, until sabremetric overload struck.  WAR, BABIP, UZR, WHIP, FIP, BLIP, BLAP, BLUMP...  I'm convinced that it is now possible to make any conceivable statement comparing two players, and find some numerical "evidence" for it.  And if the numbers don't work, you adjust for home ballpark, number of letters in his last name, and his mother's 40 yard dash time.

[Eddie Coyle]

A few years ago for Christmas someone gave me one of those "TV-B-Gone" remote zappers which could surreptitiously turn a tv off from across a room.
It would drive me crazy to go to a waiting area and have a tv blaring, and so often no one watching and everyone annoyed by the constant noise. Or worse, it's on something like Jerry Springer or some goddam diva show and someone is watching. (I would fantasize about throttling such people with my bare hands.) But with the handy tv zapper I would reach into my pocket, press the button and hold until it cycled through to the code for the particular brand of tv then playing, and, "Wha...what happened?!". Blessed silence.

           I would have paid a king's ransom, or at least 100 bucks to borrow that thing on my last trip to the barber(May 15) because I was subjected to fourty fucking minutes    of the Hoda and Kathie Lee atrocity. Apparently, my septuagenarian barber either has a "thing" for them(vomiting emoticon needed) or has lost all of his testosterone to the point where he can watch that.

       Typical of me, I made a crack about Kathie "having so much plastic surgery that I think Lee is her last name now"...of course it was greeted with silence.

[ItsOver]

        Sitting in a sub shop waiting for my steak& cheese and onion rings....

Damn that sounds good. 

[Eddie Coyle]

Damn that sounds good.

     Rondo's on West Broadway in South Boston. Steak and cheese so good that I walk through a rotten housing project to get there. Worth the gauntlet.

[Cynnie]

     Rondo's on West Broadway in South Boston. Steak and cheese so good that I walk through a rotten housing project to get there. Worth the gauntlet.

Im an hour away..save me a seat

[Flaxen Hegemony]

Literally a random thought..

It occurred to me that so many doctors are prescribing psychoactive drugs for what might be called "negative" emotions, such as feeling anxious, fearful, depressed, guilty, etc., when these are often natural emotions felt by situation, and may even be adaptive.  If a lot of things are going badly in your life, I would think some amount of depression or dysphoria would be expected.  (I'm of course excluding levels of depression that cripple normal activity and daily function.)  If you perform a terrible act that goes against the tenets of your society, guilt and anxiety might be the norm. 

By medicating normal, reactive levels of negative emotion, are we possibly inducing negative behaviors?  e.g.: I do wrong and I feel bad.  Take pill, no more feel bad.   Ergo, in my mind, what I did might not be wrong anymore.  By the same logic, the person that was depressed feels better, and may be less motivated to change their situation, if it were possible.  I don't work in the area, but this worsening spiral of inaction might explain some addiction scenarios.

[stevesh]

Literally a random thought..

It occurred to me that so many doctors are prescribing psychoactive drugs for what might be called "negative" emotions, such as feeling anxious, fearful, depressed, guilty, etc., when these are often natural emotions felt by situation, and may even be adaptive.  If a lot of things are going badly in your life, I would think some amount of depression or dysphoria would be expected.  (I'm of course excluding levels of depression that cripple normal activity and daily function.)  If you perform a terrible act that goes against the tenets of your society, guilt and anxiety might be the norm. 

By medicating normal, reactive levels of negative emotion, are we possibly inducing negative behaviors?  e.g.: I do wrong and I feel bad.  Take pill, no more feel bad.   Ergo, in my mind, what I did might not be wrong anymore.  By the same logic, the person that was depressed feels better, and may be less motivated to change their situation, if it were possible.  I don't work in the area, but this worsening spiral of inaction might explain some addiction scenarios.

Makes a lot of sense to me, but I'll wait for onan's input.

[onan]

Literally a random thought..

Take pill, no more feel bad.   Ergo, in my mind, what I did might not be wrong anymore.  By the same logic, the person that was depressed feels better, and may be less motivated to change their situation, if it were possible.  I don't work in the area, but this worsening spiral of inaction might explain some addiction scenarios.

It does explain a great deal. Honestly it is a trade off. It is nice to sit back and think "all he needs to do is change his thoughts or behavior and all well be right with the world.

Many doctors consider quality of life differently than a mental health professional. Benzo's are notorious for addiction problems. But if a person follows the prescription addiction is not likely at least physically. Emotionally however is another story.

I wish everyone when they had recurring depressive thoughts would seek treatment. But in the real world... well we know the outcome.

A doctor can offer medications to help a person cope. What the patient does after that is more the patient's decision.

Unfortunately, not every doctor makes the right choice. Honestly, I am glad I don't make that call. If I did there would be a lot more crying at night. I hate benzo's.

Most other mood stabilizers aren't addictive. Stimulants are although not regularly used to accommodate depression or anxiety they are still high on the list of abused medications.

[Flaxen Hegemony]

I wish everyone when they had recurring depressive thoughts would seek treatment. But in the real world... well we know the outcome.

Absolutely.  One hopes the trust they place in their prescribing doctor is rewarded with responsible treatment.

Unfortunately, not every doctor makes the right choice. Honestly, I am glad I don't make that call. If I did there would be a lot more crying at night. I hate benzo's.

Hell, I'm glad I'm not even in the area.  I wouldn't have the necessary level of patience working with people.  Those working in any medical service industry have my highest regard.  Yeah, benzos.  An ex of mine used to take them for "stress".  I told her that there was a fine line between "no more stress" and "where did last week go?"

[Sardondi]

...Many doctors consider quality of life differently than a mental health professional. Benzo's are notorious for addiction problems. But if a person follows the prescription addiction is not likely at least physically. Emotionally however is another story....

I never dealt a lot with benzodiazepines as they were only Sched III (maybe some IV?), but I understand that a benzo withdrawal is hellish. I assume that in detoxing from opiates or amphetamines that a person might take benzos to help with the very unpleasant side effects of withdrawal. But what the hell does someone who is kicking benzos do? I am all for science coming up with some kind of detox method where you put the mask on your face and count backward from 100 as you breathe deeply....and remember nothing until you wake up 4-5 days later chemically clean.

[onan]

I never dealt a lot with benzodiazepines as they were only Sched III (maybe some IV?), but I understand that a benzo withdrawal is hellish. I assume that in detoxing from opiates or amphetamines that a person might take benzos to help with the very unpleasant side effects of withdrawal. But what the hell does someone who is kicking benzos do? I am all for science coming up with some kind of detox method where you put the mask on your face and count backward from 100 as you breathe deeply....and remember nothing until you wake up 4-5 days later chemically clean.

the roughest withdrawals are from alcohol and benzo's... you can die from withdrawal from those two. Opiates... you will be more than miserable, but if no compromising conditions, an addict can safely withdraw at home with over the counter medications... not that anyone wants to.

With benzo withdrawal they still use benzo's. First because sudden withdrawal can bring on seizures and second there aren't many other, if any options. But the medication it titrated down.

[Flaxen Hegemony]

the roughest withdrawals are from alcohol and benzo's... you can die from withdrawal from those two. Opiates... you will be more than miserable, but if no compromising conditions, an addict can safely withdraw at home with over the counter medications... not that anyone wants to.

With benzo withdrawal they still use benzo's. First because sudden withdrawal can bring on seizures and second there aren't many other, if any options. But the medication it titrated down.

Have you heard of anyone still using phenobarb for benzo withdrawal?  But that's sorta like trading fire for lava.  A class of chemicals gladly viewed in the rear view mirror of medicine.  I wonder if that, in part, caused the popularity of benzos, as they were marketed as the "safe" barbiturate.

[onan]

Have you heard of anyone still using phenobarb for benzo withdrawal?  But that's sorta like trading fire for lava.  A class of chemicals gladly viewed in the rear view mirror of medicine.  I wonder if that, in part, caused the popularity of benzos, as they were marketed as the "safe" barbiturate.

I have, and I think it was standard practice at one time... not so much anymore. At least not anywhere I have practiced.

[BobGrau]

...Take pill, no more feel bad... 

Thing is, it doesn't really work like that. It's more 'take pill for six months, feel slightly less bad'

[Flaxen Hegemony]

Thing is, it doesn't really work like that. It's more 'take pill for six months, feel slightly less bad'

Yeah, the mood stabilizers / SSRIs take some time to have their effects.  I was thinking more of the faster-acting "Band-Aid" type medications that people get for a stressful interview or social function.

(wow, the auto-correct capitalizes "Band-Aid" - respecting trademarks)

[Nucky Nolan]

As is the owner of Massive Wieners...that is, unless his name is, uh, Tony Massive.

I guess it could be family-owned. That Acme clan sure owns a lot of stores!

[Nucky Nolan]

        Sitting in a sub shop waiting for my steak& cheese and onion rings. I noticed that the TV behind me had "Dr. Oz" on. On mute, I think. The shop owners are Greek immigrants, I wonder if there's some subliminal ironic mind fuck going on. 

         Or maybe they just have the TV on channel 25 all day. 

Just hope that he never mentions Cyprus. It could be bad for business.

[ItsOver]

Literally a random thought..

.....By medicating normal, reactive levels of negative emotion, are we possibly inducing negative behaviors?  e.g.: I do wrong and I feel bad.  Take pill, no more feel bad.   Ergo, in my mind, what I did might not be wrong anymore.....

I've often wondered if that explains the behavior of a number of politicians.  Witness Congress.

[b_dubb]

Re : treating depression ... I think the reason ECT is effective for treating depression is that the depressed person has a scenario/obsessive thought running through their head. The ECT interrupts the obsessive thought by creating amnesia. Similar to binge drinking and other forms of self medication.

On an unrelated note ... I had an idea for an album cover today. Get one of these morbidly obese women who insist on wearing "leggings", give her a stroller with a pile of baby dolls in it, snap a photo from behind lower half of the body only. The album would of course be called "The Year We Stopped Trying".

[bateman]

Beautiful photography

[bateman]

Oh my god those curves

[Flaxen Hegemony]

Beautiful photography

Heh... I'm a follower of shipwrecks, and when I saw that, thought "Oooh, oooh, I know this!  That's... that's....  oh.  No, it's not."

Great photo though.

[stevesh]

I have enormous respect for CBSNews reporter Clarissa Ward, who covers everything that's going on in the Middle East without wearing the hijab (Muslim head covering) that most, if not all, of the Western journalists wear in subservience to Islam.

Oh yeah, and I'm desperately in love with Nora O'Donnell.

[Marc.Knight]

http://fxn.ws/13H2GWc

[bateman]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/08/still-no-proof-that-children-make-us-happy.html