Began catching up with my sleep solidly last night. Drifted off about 11pm, and woke up about 9:30am.

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I got Manatee and matinee mixed up in my brain. Wondering what cute, fat canal-creatures have to do with early movie seating.

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Diet 7-up is delicious, and feels great in my throat.

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Wizkids Sportsclix Interesting. I wonder how ballplayers might do vs The Joker or Magneto?

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I heard a great quote about work and ethics – “Do not eat your soul to fill your belly” I like that. A pity that it’s not always feasible.

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It’s the hard knock life for us
It’s the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated we get tricked
Instead of kisses we get kicked
It’s the hard knock life

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I haven’t shaved for a little over a week, and I already look like an escaped wild man from Borneo. I’m glad that I’m clean, anyhow… but I won’t be shaving until I can rinse whiskers off properly in the shower.

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Life-size Gundam! Holy Moley!

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My “friend’s page” is giving me trouble…doesn’t want to load, and nothing is mentioned on the status page. A mild peeve. Heck, even my primary page isn’t loading. I wonder what the post-“new feature/maintenance” hubbub is this time.

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I could go for some nachos. Also, my Cupboard is thinning. I may have some sushi for dinner tonight.

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It’s official. Gaming pioneer Microprose, bought by Hasbro and then Infogrames (which became Atari), is dead. The final office in Hunt Valley, MD, was closed today and 35 people laid off.

Another piece of gaming history is laid to rest. Civilization… Colonization. Some of my fave games in the 90s. Ones I liked so much that I *bought* during my dirtiest pirate phase. (Well, ok, Colonization was gifted to me for Christmas by Kev… Gave me something to do when I was holding down the fort on Christmas at work for a Jewish Cruise data thingum. As far as Civ goes… Nothing quite reflects the pure comedy of Mohatmas Ghandi saying “Our Threats are backed with NUCLEAR WEAPONS!” to you in negotiations.

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I hope that folks are feeling better today than yesterday.

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Fortean Times Paranormal Gallery

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Physical Therapist Comes over at 2ish, Clean-Nurse at 3, vitals and dressing-changer some unknown time this afternoon.. expected about 1. It’s getting to be like grand central station.

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I haven’t needed a pain pill for three days. Not bad. I don’t foresee requiring any more for the duration of this mend.

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Faces and Figures found in nature.

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Fish on Prozac? How depressing!

Antidepressant ingredient detected in Texas lake water
What could be more peaceful, more restful or more relaxing than dropping a line into a quiet Texas lake and trying to hook a fish that is on Prozac? According to a study by a Baylor University toxicologist, fluoxetine — the active ingredient in the antidepressant Prozac — is making its way to a lake in the Dallas area and into the tissue of the freshwater blue gill fish.

BRYAN BROOKS, an assistant professor of environmental studies at Baylor said the fluoxetine most likely made its way through a waste water treatment plant and into a river that feeds into Lake Lewisville, northwest of Dallas.

Brooks will present his findings next month at a conference of the Geological Society of America in Seattle.

While he has been asked several times about whether fish on Prozac find pleasure in floating aimlessly and no pain when hooked by a fisherman, Brooks said the most important part of his findings are that some pharmaceuticals can make their way through water treatment plants and back into waterways.

Brooks said the fluoxetine, and a metabolized compound similar to it, most likely made their way into the water systems from the urine of users or through people flushing Prozac down the toilet. The waste water facility was not equipped to remove the compounds, which then made their way into the blue gills, and perhaps other aquatic life.

“If we release something in the environment, we need to understand what will happen to it,” Brooks said.

Brooks said his findings lead to a bevy of other questions: How many pharmaceuticals can escape water treatment? Can these chemicals harm the water supply? How widespread is the problem? What long-term health effects might these pharmaceuticals have on aquatic life and humans?

But, unfortunately, the nonscientific community seems to be more interested in the idea of fish on Prozac.

Brooks said the exposure of the fish to fluoxetine is below therapeutic levels. He is studying how current exposure might affect the ability of the fish to find food, fight off predators and find a mate.

And if the blue gills were exposed to enough of the antidepressant, the drug would likely have similar effects in the fish that it does in humans.

“They would be happy fish,” Brooks said.