When God breaks a window...

...sometimes he installs beautiful new stained glass and curtains.

Recently, my friend the Manhunter from Mars (his online musings are on the blogroll at left) tried to get me into a game called Spore. It appears to be some sort of weird hybrid of avatar-creation, Pokemon, and Myspace--you create creatures, attempt to evolve them, and can visit other worlds to see what the rest of the Spore community is up to. Sounds like fun, no? It did to me, too, but since I barely have time to eat, I couldn't imagine getting hooked on yet another addicting video game.

However, what he did not tell me is the story of Ken Walters, one of the digital artists Electronic Arts (or "EA" for short) put to work on this new game. Walters was an engineer in the UK before he was in a terrible accident--a forklift driver crushed him into a wall, fracturing his spine. He was wheelchair bound, without work, and living off the state for almost twenty years, and had two heart attacks during that time (as if the initial injury wasn't enough).

It would have been even more depressing to add a stroke to the list of things that have plagued and depressed him over the last two decades, had it not been for the stroke's bizaare blessing-in-disguise. After recovering from it, he began to doodle. A self-proclaimed non-artist in school, Walters was suddenly drawing. A lot. His doctors encouraged him, saying that sometimes the brain can be partially "rewired" after a stroke, unveiling previously hidden talents.

His doodles grew to digital imagery, and he began selling art on the internet. He even developed his own software, which he used to beef up his portfolio, before EA (the video game giant responsible for just about every good sports-oriented game on the market) snapped him up to create creatures for the Spore game for a cool 30,000 pounds British Sterling. (And counting, he has a share of the merchandising for the game.)

You can find the original story here.

That sign on the freeway (Part 1 of 4)...

This isn't the exact sign I pass on my morning commute to work--mine has a different image--but the layout and text are the same:



Spark a reaction for you? It certainly did for my eleven year old son. He saw the sign on our way to the theater (sorry for the shameless plug, but only two weeks left!). As we passed it, he grew very concerned and said with a grieving tone in his voice, "That's really sad." Then there was a long pause before he asked, "What is autism?"

We live in a culture of fear. Don't believe me? Turn on the news, or open a periodical. All we see and hear is geared to frighten us--the latest war, the latest criminal activity in our back yard, the latest increase in something scary or decrease in something good. And all stuff we have no control over. What could be more terrifying than an endless litany of life-ending events which pound into our ears and hearts the many tragic, unavoidable, senseless ways we or (preferentially, if you listen to the media) someone we love could suddenly die?

It's even in our e-mail inbox. How many times over the last year alone have you been regaled by some well-meaning associate, friend or family member with a message telling you about the cancer caused by reusing a plastic water bottle? Or the dangers of walking to your car at the mall by yourself? Or the famous I-woke-up-and-those-bastards-stole-my-kidney story? (Watch this if you haven't seen it yet.)

There is so much of this around, it has a name: Scarelore. A subdivision of the definition of "Urban Legend", it looks like this:

"Urban legends are narratives which put our fears and concerns into the form of stories or are tales which we use to confirm the rightness of our world view. As cautionary tales they warn us against engaging in risky behaviors by pointing out what has supposedly happened to others who did what we might be tempted to try. Other legends confirm our belief that it's a big, bad world out there, one awash with crazed killers, lurking terrorists, unscrupulous companies out to make a buck at any cost, and a government that doesn't give a damn." (from Snopes.com, one of the best debunkers on the net.)

Sure, there is a small tagline on the bottom of the billboard that references somewhere you might "learn the signs". But the sign inspires fear and shock to get a reaction out of us: "How sad, Dad. Whatever can we do?!?" Is there no other way to communicate any more? Do we have to perpetuate this in our world, even for (especially for) a cause as good as this one? It makes me sad and frustrated all at the same time.

to be continued...

What the EFF?!? I don't get it...

One of the latest drugs for bipolar disorder is just too much. The name? Abilify. What the hell?!? Did George W. Bush come up with the name for this drug? "Abilify"? Seriously. I took a gander at the site to see what the drug was all about. Its chemical name--which is aripiprazole--sounds like some sort of crazy Italian dish. Also borders on the ridiculous. Perhaps their strategy is to make you laugh at the absurd names to forget about your troubles.

Anyway, I don't know about you, but I'm just about sick of all the drug infestation out there. We are an overdrugged society, certes. In most cases, the side effects are just as bad as the problem the drug is supposedly treating. Here are some of the "possible side effects" from taking Abilify:

CONTRAINDICATION: Patients should not use ABILIFY if they are allergic to aripiprazole or any of the ingredients in ABILIFY. (hmmm...and how would I know if I'm allergic to it if I don't take it?) Allergic reactions have ranged from rash, hives and itching to anaphylaxis, which may include difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue.

Serious side effects can occur with any antipsychotic medicine, including ABILIFY. Tell your healthcare professional right away if you have any conditions or side effects, including the following:

--An increased risk of stroke and ministroke has been reported in clinical studies of elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis
--Very high fever, rigid muscles, shaking, confusion, sweating, or increased heart rate and blood pressure. These may be signs of a condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a rare but serious side effect which could be fatal
--Abnormal or uncontrollable movements. These may be signs of a serious condition called tardive dyskinesia (TD), which may be permanent
--Diabetes, risk factors for diabetes (for example, obesity, family history of diabetes), or unexpected increases in thirst, urination, or hunger. Increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), in some cases serious and associated with coma or death, have been reported in patients taking ABILIFY and medicines like it. Ask your healthcare professional about the need to monitor your blood sugar level before and during treatment

Lightheadedness or faintness caused by a sudden change in heart rate and blood pressure when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position (orthostatic hypotension) has been reported with ABILIFY.

Medicines like ABILIFY can affect your judgment, thinking, or motor skills. You should not drive or operate hazardous machinery until you know how ABILIFY affects you.

Since medicines like ABILIFY can impact your body's ability to reduce body temperature, you should avoid overheating and dehydration.

If you have suicidal thoughts, you should tell your healthcare professional right away.

Medicines like ABILIFY have been associated with swallowing problems (dysphagia). If you had or have swallowing problems, you should tell your healthcare professional.

Tell your healthcare professional if you have a history of seizures, or are pregnant or intend to become pregnant, and about all prescription and non-prescription medicines you are taking or plan to take.

Most common side effects (≥10%)(so that's more than 1 in every 10 people who take it) from all clinical trials involving adults or pediatrics include:

ADULTS: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, an inner sense of restlessness or need to move (akathisia), anxiety and insomnia.

PEDIATRICS (10-17 years): Uncontrolled movements, headache, sleepiness and nausea.

Wow. I think I'll pass, thanks.