Catfight!

Apparently there was a riot at the casting for America's Next Top Model in New York City.

Authorities are not certain what started the fight.

Hmmm... maybe putting a bunch of vapid, self-centered, egotistical, shallow individuals in a room together causes some friction.

But seriously, I want to know how much hair-pulling there was...

What's with the serious side effects?

A couple weeks ago I saw an advertisement for an RA drug whose side effects included nausea, skin rash, and tuberculosis.

Then this morning, I see a commercial for Humira, which can also cause hepatitis. Only thing is, Humira is a drug for psoriasis!

Well, apparently Humira is simply a wonder drug, which can treat Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Crohn's Disease, and Ankylosing Spondylitis. (What the hell is Anyklosing Spondylitis???). Unfortunately, this wonder drug can cause:

Tuberculosis
Hepatitis
Skin Rash
Lupus-like syndrome
Certain types of CANCER

Now, I know some people with RA, the risk might be worth it, that's a horrible disease. I know someone with Crohn's, and having gone through something similar, the risks might be worth it.

But psoriasis? I know its unsightly, and painful, but is it really worth the risk of TB, Hep, Lupus or Cancer? (not to mention the "skin rash" would be a very funny side effect to get...)

And finally, my favorite disclaimer from the website:

"These are not all the side effects with HUMIRA. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information."

If anyone has heard of this class...

Please let me know, or can get me a syllabus, or anything.

This is from a Guardian UK blog, and it just seems... neat:


pamplemooseduck

06 Mar 09, 3:49pm

I missed the lecture in International Political Economy which was entirely (I kid you not, entirely) about the Wizard of Oz. I was pretty annoyed. There's not just the yellow brick road/gold standard thing in there, there's also (I think. Working off someone else's notes) the Wicked Witch of the West being expansionary western states, and the tin man is representative of industry, and the scarecrow being representative of the agricultural sector... it's kind of brilliant, and I actually want to watch the wizard of oz for the first time ever.

Listening to the Crazies

So, I listen to a lot of Talk Radio.

First - I am sick and sick of the conservative attacks on nationalized health care. Whatever problems there might be with the idea (and I'm sure there are, but I don't pay enough attention to get in to it), I don't think "taking away choices" is really that big of a problem. This is the drum that they beat over and over again (also, I love that the leader of this group was forced to resign over fraud). I hear commercial over commercial talking about how Obama is trying to take away the choices a patient and doctor can make, shadowy government officials will decide what procedures and medications a patient can use.

Sure, because that doesn't happen with health insurance... people besides the patient and doctor making choices about appropriate (affordable) programs of medication. Pre-certifications, pre-existing conditions, denied coverage, sure, that's much better and all about the patient and doctor making the choices.

And, WTF is up with Victoria Jackson? I can't tell if she's really as stupid as her airhead roles, or if her super conservative airhead is just an act...

These things scare the crap out of me

And not because I have a gut reaction to invertebrates (although I do). Octopi scare me because they're apparently very smart, and have a twisted sense of humor... which somehow equates them to "demons" of some sort in my mind...

First, there was Otto, who got bored at his aquarium in Germany and decided to climb out of his aquarium enough to short circuit the lights and require someone to come in the room to fix it for him.

Now, apparently an octopus in California flooded her aquarium by opening a valve.

Smart and sneaky, these things can open bottles and kill a shark!

I think they caused the financial meltdown, personally.

Lack of Updates

I think I've had a few of those titles as my life takes over the rest of ... my life.

So, a new update, and back in the original spirit of my blog, pointing out some of the silliness of the world I see around me.

I just finished reading Neil Gaiman's new Graveyard Book, which apparently won a Newberry Award for Children's Literature. Now, Neil Gaiman is an excellent storyteller, and he certainly deserves an award or two. However, irony #1: Nail Gaiman is a British author who moved to the States, then wrote a book about a boy in Britain which won an American-only award.

Now, again, this was an award for Children's Literature. I'm going to exercise my academic super-powers here and quote the first line (!) of the book: "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife." Now, in case you think that's not too bad, the remainder of the first chapter goes on to discuss how Jack, the man dressed all in black carrying the knife, killed the mother, father, and brother with it, and was stalking the little boy in his crib.

Second, this was likely Gaiman's worst book I've read. This is not to say it's a bad book. It's a good book (not a Children's Book, but a good book), but has all the complexity of American Gods with about half the length. Coraline was much better (although again, not really for children). I just have to figure this is more like one of those Oscars given for a body of work rather than an actual film performance.

Done

So, if anyone knows what happens between submission and defense, I would love to hear some advice...