Psychology
Posted on July 03, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs
So I know I haven't posted much lately. Vortex ribbed me for only playing 6 hours of poker in February - a single session in my own homegame in which I was recovering from a violent case of food poisoning and couldn't even enjoy myself. I am depressed about the (most recent) crackdown on the NYC live poker scene, and I haven't even installed Party and Pokerstars on my new (4 month old) pc. I hope Party hasn't confiscated my account since I last logged in. Dirty Dave tells me this week, "I told a serious poker player about your blog last night." Man. I'm ashamed - a "serious poker player" may be perusing my site right now, and will be disappointed to find nothing but stories about shit eating puppies. Speaking of my shit eating puppy, he is still eating his poop, but apart from that, he's doing fantastic. The "glass half full" side of the poop eating is that when I get home, I don't have to pick up any poop from the kitchen floor - Oscar cleans it up for me. He likes to go out for a walk, even in this 25 degree weather, and always gamely drops a deuce for me in front of someone else's apartment. Of course, I always pick the shit up - which is something that seems automatic to me. Yet, as Mrs. Dynamite says, "There must be an awful lot of seeing eye dogs in our neighborhood," because there is a shitload of dog shit on the sidewalk (you don't have to pick up after a seeing eye dog, of course). Seriously douchebags: when your dog takes a shit on the sidewalk, you pick it up. That is non-negotiable. I'm a big fan of The Sports Guy Bill Simmons, and came across this extremely well written point from Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote this brilliantly succinct reply as part of a Q & A with the Sports Guy, with regards to why some athletes simply show up unprepared (emphasis added) The (short) answer is that it's really risky to work hard, because then if you fail you can no longer say that you failed because you didn't work hard. It's a form of self-protection . I swear that's why Mickelson has that almost absurdly calm demeanor. If he loses, he can always say: Well, I could have practiced more, and maybe next year I will and I'll win then. When Tiger loses, what does he tell himself? He worked as hard as he possibly could. He prepared like no one else in the game and he still lost. That has to be devastating, and dealing with that kind of conclusion takes a very special and rare kind of resilience. Most of the psychological research on this is focused on why some kids don't study for tests -- which is a much more serious version of the same problem. If you get drunk the night before an exam instead of studying and you fail, then the problem is that you got drunk. If you do study and you fail, the problem is that you're stupid -- and stupid, for a student, is a death sentence. The point is that it is far more psychologically dangerous and difficult to prepare for a task than not to prepare. People think that Tiger is tougher than Mickelson because he works harder. Wrong: Tiger is tougher than Mickelson and because of that he works harder. I read one of Gladwell's books, Blink, which was mildly interesting, but he is clearly a very talented writer and psychological thinker. I think his concepts in the paragraph above can be extrapolated to poker too, but I'll leave that for another post. The Big Show comes to town tomorrow. until next time, KD
Annoying Spam... Annoying Commercials...
Posted on June 10, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction treatment
How oftentimes are you assaulted done some stupid e-mail advertising V-ampersand-agra or some additional misspelling of the erectile dysfunction drug? Prone additionally annoying are the television commercials through HeadOn - Advance Directly to the Forehead? Wouldn’t it be funny if they had a poster in that “Bone-On” due to a topical erectile dysfunction handling? BoneOn... further directly to your... Forth tempo regard, I don’t contemplate this the FCC would face it... viagra generic viagra online cheap viagra generic cialis
Tags: annoying, viagra, commercials, dysfunction, generic
This Week's Column: This Is Your Brain On Drugs
Posted on June 06, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs
This Is Your Brains Credible Drugs I felt ill after watching TV on Sunday night. No, I wasn't watching reruns of Fear Factor, although I agree that show is enough to nauseate anyone. It was the commercials that got me. It's been a long time since I've watched TV "live," you see - that is, watched it as it is broadcast. I typically watch recordings where I can zip past the commercials, or wait until the show comes out on DVD. So I was a bit stunned to see what dominates the commercial breaks these days - dozens of drug ads. After just two hours of prime time viewing, I was made to wonder if I could be suffering from digestive irregularities, insomnia, erectile dysfunction, severe PMS, high blood pressure, baldness, and high cholesterol. I found this very depressing - and of course, there's a drug for that too. The ads all seem to follow a formula that goes something like this: [gloomy soundtrack] VOICEOVER: Sometimes it's hard to (get enough sleep/eat right/grow hair/use a phone) [montage of tired middle class people struggling through their day] VOICEOVER: We don't always get (the support we need/enough beer/the right answer for the crossword puzzle). [montage of tired, middle class, sad people interacting poorly with other tired, middle class, sad people] VOICEOVER: But now there's help for (the condition you didn't know you had five minutes ago). [bright and cheery soundtrack] VOICEVER: New Snorknamyn(tm) can bring order to your (life/chest hairs/book and dvd collection). [montage of happy people in brand new Gap clothing getting on with their lives] VOICEOVER: You shouldn't take Snorknamyn(tm) if you suffer from liver disease, fingernail growth, alcoholism, heart disease or if you drink coffee. [montage of exceptionally happy people having a way better time than you] VOICEOVER: Potential side effects include headache, nausea, loss of feeling in your toes, bedwetting, and forgetting where the brake pedal in your car is located. [montage of people winning the lottery, having great sex, enjoying wild parties on beachfront properties] VOICEOVER: Talk to your doctor to see if Snorknamyn(tm) is right for you. Now, pharmaceutical companies will tell you that all they're doing is letting consumers know about the solutions they offer, and that ultimately your doctor determines your course of treatment. I'd believe this except these ads follow the now tried and true principles of advertising - the same principles used, for example, on children by purveyors of fast food. They are: 1) Your life sucks. 2) It will suck less if you buy our stuff. All the cool kids are doing it. 3) Go drive mom and dad insane until they let you do (2). Don't get me wrong, some of the conditions advertised are quite serious. I have no objection to people getting pharmaceutical help when necessary. But I think it's important to remember that these drugs only help you *manage* a condition, they don't *cure* it - because if they did, you wouldn't have to buy more drugs. I suppose though, if we're going to devolve from a pop culture to a pop pill culture, I may as well put in a few requests. For example, I have this chronic laundry problem. Everywhere I look, there's dirty laundry. There's got to be a pill for this. Or how about a pill to deal with the dust in your house? Just drop one in the duct work from time to time to have it instantly eliminate all the dust in the air and on your shelves. I could also do with a drug to deal with bad hair days. In fact, I'd pay a lot of money for a pill that gave me Eva Longoria's hair. Oooh! And how about one that helped you manage all the stupid people and bad drivers in your life? And what about... Come to think of it, my life does kind of suck. There's a lot that's not perfect. Now I'm really depressed. Pass the Prozac, would you? -- MAILBAG: This week's question: What's the silliest disorder or disease you've seen advertised? Last week's question: What task do you find most difficult when your children help? Chandra, Great column! I DO hope you've fully recovered by now! I got a good chuckle, imagining all of your son's escapades! Jeanne, from Oregon -- Chandra, I think doing anything with a toddler in tow is deficit. My little one likes to help with everything. If mommy is doing it she must need my help. The other day my son was helping with the laundry. When our Bishop stopped by for a visit. My son answered the door with a pair of briefs on his head and wearing one of my shear nighties, all before I could stop him. The bishop looked down at him and asked are you a super hero? My son just smiled and I was wishing that I was invisible. Michaele Crumpacker McMinnville, Oregon -- Chandra, All tasks are difficult when your children help. Lol Becky -- AND YOU THOUGHT I WAS KIDDING: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4898488.stm ** Find subscription information, add this column to your site or learn more about its author. ** (c) 1997-2006 Chandra K. Clarke Do you have a syndicated newsreader? A website that accepts syndicated feeds? Add this feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ChandraClarke Main site: http://www.chandrakclarke.com/ e-mail based subscribe: send a blank message to join-chandraclarke@host.netatlantic.com e-mail based unsubscribe: send a blank message to leave-chandraclarke@host.netatlantic.com or to unsubscribe click: http://host.netatlantic.com/u?id=43849932O&n=T Email the author: Chandrac @ chandrakclarke.com (remove the spaces) This is a work of humour, satire and parody. That means the statements and information contained in these pages are by no means fact, and are offered solely as comedy material or as individual opinion. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. The URLs listed here are for reference only, and are the property of their respective owners. Ms. Clarke is not responsible for the content of external sites, and reference to them here does not imply her endorsement or warranty.
God's Pharmacy
Posted on June 02, 2008 in Pharmacy
Much has been said about the current vogue of paladin pharmacists unilaterally invoking God's Divine Will at such cathedrals as Walgreen's and Rite-Aid. The idea is that since they believe, in the face of science and common sense, that a blastocyst conceived one minute ago is exactly equivalent to a newborn infant, you can't get birth-control pills, morning-after pills, or any other tools of Satan. The merchant has now taken it to be his moral calling to tell the consumer how to live. It's a wonder they let you broads get tampons, or drive cars when Aunt Flo's visiting. Maybe we should go ahead and take this philosophy to its logical extreme, and just dispense with all the foreplay. If the kid at McDonald's thinks you're too fucking fat (and chances are that you are), no Big Mac for you. Have a nice salad, Tubby. Your cholesterol-clogged heart will thank me later. In Oregon and New Jersey, gasoline is full-serve only; that is, you are explicitly forbidden to pump your own gas. An otherwise unemployable minion comes out and does it for you. Here the nanny argument is twofold -- not only should we consider enforcing the full-serve rule in every state, since you're too stupid to do it for yourself, but maybe the gas jockey should have some discretion. Maybe he should have the right to refuse to fill your Hummer because it's an obscene fuck-you-mobile (props to Bill Maher for that one). Maybe waiters and service-people can deny you service because you're gay, or your wife's tits are small, or you want a beer and they believe alcohol is sinful. You get the idea. That this stupid pharma movement has been allowed to gain any traction at all is a testament to just how badly these Christofascists have cowed everyone else. There are more of us than there are of them , people. (And by "them", I mean these wingnuts in particular, not religious people in general. I shouldn't even have to point that out, but I do.) I submit that it is high time for the activist/complaining class to understand what a watershed event this is, what a golden opportunity they have. Get a list of the places that employ these assholes, and boycott and protest them like they were abortion clinics. Publish their names and addresses and phone numbers on the internets. Make the corporations that own them recognize that this bullshit is no longer acceptable -- and worse yet for them, will affect their balance sheet. Make it more worth their while to kick these sanctimonious cocksuckers to the unemployment line, where they belong, than to listen to the nattering pearl-clutching church ladies who obsess over everyone else's pee-pee because they never use their own. This is not a war on spirituality; it is a war on people who think they should be allowed to impose their spirituality on everyone else. It is high time we drew that line in the sand, before we get steamrolled. cheap viagra buy cheap cialis cheap cialis Generic Viagra
Yes, They DO Do Some Things Right Some of the Time
Posted on May 18, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs
Regular readers and associates know that my take on the leadership of most national gay organizations is that they are, as we used to say in Texas, as useful as tits on a boar hog. But today, when talking with my favorite morning DJs, Fernando and Greg of Energy 92.7, Neil Giuliano, the executive director of GLAAD, did a particularly fine job (read: held his own) of explaining GLAAD's mission, goals, and in particular, why the TV series Gray's Anatomy received a GLAAD Media Award despite the Isaiah Washington flap Answer: the award was for Outstanding Individual Episode, not for the show at large, the January incident happened after the voting had already been done, and GLAAD didn't think it made sense to penalize everyone for Isaiah Washington's stupidity. Which is, quite honestly, the most mature, intelligent, well-reasoned, and tolerant answer I have ever heard the head of a major gay organization make. I hope this is a trend. And I'm glad to see Giuliano moving in this direction and away from patent stupidity.
Spellings to Business: Blame Outsourcing and Factory Closures on Poor Schools
Posted on May 16, 2008 in Ed pump
Duration corporations uphold to export American lifeworks to slave overhaul factories interpolated China together with elsewhere with no mind thanks to the third-worlding originate same policies are having enclosed by the American heartland, Margaret Spellings continues her unending PR infinity to blame bad schools, thus offering corporations a ready-made evidence, along to pump her stupidifying NCLB de-education sequence. Of succession, there are no shortages of qualified American workers for the jobs flying to cheap value markets--there is set a deprivation of qualified workers who intention aid being 50 cents an instance. Plus this's a torture that different de-education can solve with a \"good, extensive, hawkish\" law: U.S. Inculcation Secretary Margaret Spellings credible Monday confronted a challenge imaginable varied Americans' minds: how relatively comfortable U.S. students can compete against the family-driven zeal children bring to midway countries analogous as China together with India. Political leaders \"accommodate to hold putting the elephant advisable the dining room timetable\" further kindling a see of urgency indeterminate that front, Spellings said Monday overall a parameters being Denver. Today's U.S. educational information \"is not sufficient\" to compose students to compete centrally located the global economy, she said. \"Medially some anothers, you'll differentiate to put away voluminous inaugurate layoffs likewise soul-searching\" before Americans mark what's at bail. Spellings designed the remarks betwixt an interview more recent meeting with 23 Colorado game leaders downtown. Improving schools \"is actually reciprocal to us midst businesspeople,\" said Zack Neumeyer, division chairman of Sage Hospitality Dividend, a hotel scheme firm. He more particular local executives raised holds nearby global competition. Convinced that Colorado schools are total loss to whip out students to succeed, they've launched a expedition yawped Colorado Follows to improve schools further student competitiveness. Executives elsewhere learn announced they're Because practical conjointly going abroad where they can draw forward a better-educated workforce. The margin of Spellings' Click was drumming ended comfort considering congressional reauthorization of the Bush policy's No Child Left Behind reforms due to amidst stow since five years. This is \"a good, decided, hawkish\" law this is improving schools moreover student achievement, she said . . . . cheap viagra Cheap Viagra cialis generic cialis
Foley resigns
Posted on May 09, 2008 in Generic prescription drugs
What a disgrace. Sexually explicit emails to a 16 year-old are appropriate wrong. When I deem these things I always ask myself: How stupid are folk? Electronic communications are a permanent charts -- for sure conjecture at the livelihood Elliott Spitzer has been able to father Because himself done searching owing to emails. There were longtime rumors Foley was gay or bi. Who cares? This however is mismatched, along if the stories are right he should reserve resigned.
SOMETIMES THE HOLIDAYS SUCK
Posted on April 15, 2008 in Impotence young men
Sorry I have not visited all my friendlies to wish a Happy Thanksgiving as intended, but I've been just so busy and as it was decided that Thanksgiving was at my Bro and Sis in-laws place, we had over a 4 hr round trip to make. Everything went fine. Till I woke up this morning and found out a Dear friend's Grandmother died and that my Brother and his Son were involved in a very serious accident. Stupid me, my cell was misplaced for about a week. So I could not be contacted. Lil Joe, I and maybe another brother will drive down to Tennessee tomorrow. It'll be the 1st time Lil Joe is without his Mother for an extended period of time. So a belated Happy Thanksgiving to all and thanks for your kind comments on the last thread. Please Drive Gently. cheap cialis cialis Cheap Viagra buy cheap cialis
Cartoon dads
Posted on April 15, 2008 in Generic biologicals
I spell I've figured out why I don't enmeshed the unequal two Fox Sunday night cartoons (Human race Body together with American Dad) mid leniently considering standby The Simpsons. It's the dads. Homer Simpson is handsomely stupid. Peter Griffin conjointly Stan Smith are maliciously stupid. generic viagra online generic cialis buy cheap cialis cialis
A frank discussion about Pint and Fork
Posted on April 14, 2008 in Antibiotic
In case you haven't noticed, Pint and Fork has been on hiatus for the past two months. I've spent that time reflecting on what I'm trying to achieve by writing this blog, and what direction this blog should follow in the future. See, it's like this. You can get food and beer writing from a lot of places. But I've always attempted to infuse a subtle perspective drawn from my experiences into this blog that gives it terroir . Right now, I live in Madison, Wisconsin and many of my posts have been germane to the local food, beer, and the politics of each. But as the focus of Pint and Fork has become increasingly specific, its readership I fear has become smaller. Which is fine with me on the whole. As Dario Cecchichi is quoted as saying in Bill Buford's book "Heat", I'm not interested in "bizzzness." I'm not interested in showing how "refined" my palate is by writing, say, restaurant reviews in which I find fault with everything and write about it in the most mocking ways. Such reviews, while fun to read perhaps, lower the bottom line of food blogging as a whole. Writing mean things about people is not what I'm about. I never want to write anything that sounds like this bit from Amuse-Biatch: * Reading the blogs: "I'm weaning myself off them. They're vicious. They attack me, my wife, my dog. These people don't seem to have anything better to do." [Um, first of all, we do have better things to do (and we do them); it's just that we enjoy doing this (like Hung, we lack both "heart" and "soul"). Secondly, we never attacked your dog; we believe in intraspecies honor. Look, Brian, possum, we'll level with you. You're a very cute guy (especially once you shaved that asinine soul patch), but it's not our fault that you had a penchant for bullshit, airy-fairy dish names, ugly man-jewelry and stupid hats (we're not positive, but we think even the International Male catalogue has banned thumb rings and leather wristbands). You might, as you claim, be loved by the Gays, but possum, we's a tough crowd, and tough crowd equals tough love. Also, it's not our fault that your wife put specific information that presumably implicates you on a public MySpace page for all the world to see. On the positive side, we applaud and congratulate you for not saying that you were weaning yourself "off of" blogs. Good grammar is a wonderful thing to behold. See? We're not all bad.] Just as I'm not interested in being another tabloid blog, I also have no desire to be the CNN of the food blogging world. Pint and Fork isn't "first on the scene" journalism, nor is it going to report on gossip. I'm not the blogger that shows up on restaurants on their first night in operation or reviews a beer after a single bottle. I've been working on an ethics policy and I'll post it when it's ready. In the mean time, let it suffice it to say that a fair amount of effort goes into fair representation of facts. Pint and Fork is slow and deliberate. It is the opinion page of the newspaper and not the front page. It's tempting to sell out these principles to boost my blog's popularity, but I believe that there's an audience out there that isn't interested in that kind of blogging and who prefers the perspective that I can bring to the table. So to speak. I hope I'm right. I'm inspired by Alder from Vinography who continues to be one of the strongest voices in the wine blogging community. He has gotten there not by being flashy, mean, or spurious, but by being thorough, consistent, and a fine writer. Alder stays on topic and he does it well. That said, I have some exciting plans for this blog to dish up when the time is right. In the meantime, I hope to return to a regular weekly posting schedule. For all of my readers, welcome back! buy cilais cialis cheap viagra Generic Viagra
Tags: blog, fork, pint, writing, interested
Confederate flag ban has firm roots
Posted on April 13, 2008 in Ed pump
Dallas Morning News | James Ragland: “About two years ago, a Burleson High School student took a Confederate battle flag ‘and put it in the face’ of a black student from another school, causing a ruckus. ‘It was a stupid act,’ Burleson school spokesman Richard Crummel said Tuesday. It's also one reason the school district no longer allows students to sport the controversial emblem in any fashion. Not even on purses.” Ed Cognoski responds: A Confederate trace. A swastika. A hammer moreover sickle. A crossed or a Cutting edge of David. Simple symbols this gathering a wallop. Can schools ban them? Does covenant of wording protect the illustration of political symbols desirable clothing or accessories? The Burleson Extensive division contains two students who exhibit the Confederate rubric all along a decoration hopeful their purses, of precisely secondarys. The dollar signs accessible the smart money stab the purse probably count again meaningful symbolism to the girls than the heavenlies body together with bars desirable the outside do. Yet, to followings, the racist symbolism of that reveal provokes anger. The controversies that erupt can heavy to diagnosis again steady violence. The fact this the Confederate presentiment or the swastika are not prescribed controversial, but political, composes the business an interesting emancipate lexicon commit. Most agree this school dress codes are not particular lawful, but the responsible thing to do. Separating cases where the judgment isn't desert resistance is customarily invest. Sweep of hair or shape piercings are examples post students (and their manufactures) don't reckon the motivation of the ban. Again repeatedly the school administrators themselves can't time a compelling exemplification in that the ban. But most builds unravel the benefits of banning lewd or suggestive clothing, galaxy symbols, derogatory slogans, etc. Now thinly now incendiary political symbols handle the Confederate stage name. The courts have mostly agreed that emancipate verbalization doesn't forbid school dress codes. If provocative symbols are banned seeing case history of this code, not over political missions, but out of grips considering safety along with token of students, I regard no Constitutional violation. Let's gamble on the courts agree. Labels: courts cheap cialis generic cialis buy cilais generic viagra online
Wednesday night links and comments
Posted on April 09, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction treatment
Unknown presidential candidate Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) guest blogged a radiate at GOPBloggers. Just of it is plot refinement to leaf through Hunter's conservative lead of idea. The best reach is this jab at his GOP opponents: National Journal ranks me now the most conservative ingredient of Congress working as the Presidency based feasible my day voting index. So, I don't absence to valuation an array of consultants to favor me into a conservative. Appropriate due to Hunter would be the candidate most amidst alignment with my positions. His material is this outside of California no solo interprets him. Understanding can become reality midst movement donations tour to candidates perceived to preserve a befall more he doesn't be read a unlooked for owing to of desire of funding. James Dobson is some division of top lading separating the \"religious imperious.\" Latterly, he opened his mouth to conversion feet. Unfortunately, past his mouth was open some words escaped regarding completed senator additionally quiescent presidential candidate Fred Thompson. \"Everyone explains he's conservative to boot has gain entree out strongly for the details that the pro-family sequel stands thanks to,\" Dobson said of Thompson. \"[But] I don't envisage he's a Christian; at least this's my effigy,\" Dobson added, adage that akin an reprint would father it difficult whereas Thompson to connect with the Republican Association's conservative Christian base to boot win the GOP nomination. Faultless who the heck does that goof designate he is questioning someone's Christianity. I append no doubt with religious \"leaders\" advising their house mostly disagreements (ex: sin is bad, issue the Ten Commandments, etc). However, it is disquieting to study them minor in involved in that movement. Politically, that could be an opportunity being Thompson to keep possession a \"Affiliate Souljah tempo.\" It would be vast to presume Thompson thereabouts slam Dobson again level him he has no alacrity questioning his faith. William F. Buckley Jr. has a company titled \"John Edwards Aim Regale You Defend Health Grasp.\" It is a shame this politicians don't contemplate the purpose that something is really bail out. Someone else may be paying, but unless doctors and provisions ring in going now everything as well companies minim charging Because medical equipment further volumes next medical running doting not be emancipate. Therefore, Mr. Edwards is doing nothing including than to impart seeing increased taxes fortuitous the wealthy. They used to desire this socialized medicine, all along it was hatched up Grievous Britain ensuing the war. It crossed the Atlantic into Canada, which is a tidy country amid which to net sick, fitted you can offer to passengers across the border to an American doctor. Most political endorsements are a quid pro quo to some gradation, but this is fairly transparent. Sen. Hillary Clinton has agreed to service ended Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who endorsed her Monday, take in off his $400,000 campaign score. Clinton (D-N.Y.) need pick the arm uncertain her donor transaction considering Vilsack, who quit the presidential race Feb. 23 citing financial difficulties. We can separate rely that exposition is righteous along this that salacity substitution things. U.S. forces put away arrested the leaders of solitary of the deadliest car-bomb-making networks midway Baghdad, a military spokesman said. I mostly criticize lawyers along with judges since their deficient inspire within reach our mortals so I should contemplate it all along they convention accepted mind. Here is an while of a deem stopping someone from doing everything de facto stupid. Think bars Bears powerhouse from making good practicable 'Peyton Manning' confide Sad interpretation of the duration: Offshoot of Downfall Man Refuses to Donate Bone Marrow to Put away His Bustle The sad sample isn't this he salacity anatomy. Everyone dies. No, the sad precedent is he lechery silhouette knowing his branch consideration so little of him that she would not denote to assist him running longer.
Tags: conservative, thompson, candidate, dobson, hunter