Insert a Trite Metaphor for a Corral #52

Posted on February 13, 2007 in Roundup

I’m just waiting for the press to say that the man responsible for the Trolley Square shootings was bipolar. It’s the “dangerous mental illness” of the moment, more compelling than schizophrenia or personality disorders such as borderline or asocial. Many of my fellow bipolars will not reveal that they have the disease. When you see how the public treats a mentally ill person, you will understand why. Personally, I’ve had a stalker who insists that my disease means that I am severely disabled. It’s ultimately a power thing, a chit that the avaricious and the asocially ambitious use to destroy what might infringe on their own quest for authority.

Let us just say that we bipolars do not have to defend ourselves when we take our medications. Even when we are in episode, we are less violent towards persons than normal people and addicts. A few of us (though not me) may have left holes in the wall, but the same have never bruised, have never battered, have never left holes or broken bones in people.

It’s time to demand accountability of the press. If they want to identify bipolar perpetrators of violence, let them also note when the person is abusing drugs or alcohol or not diagnosed at all. Maybe the extra effort it takes to type out these facts will put it through their heads that bipolar disorder itself does not engender violence.

• Nyah nyah nyah time: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied reports that his government was supplying the road bombs that crop up in Iraq. Funny how in all this discussion of where the charges come from, no one remembers how American troops stood by as the Iraqi armories were looted by future militants. And given that the rebels in the Iraqi war are [[Sunni|Sunnis]] and the Iranians [[Shia|Shias]], the charge becomes more far-fetched. We all know from Iraq and, perhaps, Haiti, that the Bush Administration is not above fabricating evidence to promote its [[realpolitik]]. Iranians say that should the US attack, it will be punished using sophisticated drones.
• Nine one one in Samarra: Last year’s destruction of the Golden Dome mosque is the Iraqi version of the World Trade Center bombing.
• More Support for Sleep: An afternoon nap helps prevent heart disease. The study’s got to be good: it’s Greek. (Hat-tip to Lynn.)
• Little Cow vs. the Little Fisherman: A sanctuary for a rare porpoise called the [[Vaquita]] will put a community of fishermen out of business.
• Cheap Cat Food?: Mice have been cloned from skin stem cells.
• Did they get stupid or what?: Archaeologists exploring a site in the Ivory Coast discovered that chimps living four thousand years ago used stone tools to crack nuts. The skill could have been inherited from a common ancestor of chimps and humans, the authors say, or learnt from humans by imitation. This isn’t the first report: back in the nineteenth century, observers saw [[chimpanzee|chimps]] cracking away but the reports were dismissed.
• But it Shrank in the Wash: An unusual sexual harassment case is underway in Los Angeles. The harassment action was brought by Dr. David Martorano, a former opera singer and the son of a psychiatrist who did his residency at UCLA — and, according to testimony, found the time to zip around [[Malibu%2C_California|Malibu]] in a two-seater going on dates and attending a private party thrown by adult entertainment companies. In his suit, Martorano claims he and his former supervisor, Dr. Heather Krell, had a liaison. He was all set to become chief resident of Krell’s clinic. But the job was taken away from him after he broke off the affair, and rumors of it began to circulate, Martorano claims. He also contends that Krell smeared his reputation and painted him as a liar by claiming no affair ever took place.
• Not Punished for Being First: The Dixie Chicks’ recent triumph at the Grammys goes to show that vision regarding the war in Iraq isn’t going to be punished.
• A Little Louder Please: Blind people are protesting the silence of hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius. [[Hybrid_car|Hybrids]] deliver better mileage and less pollution than traditional cars by switching between a gasoline engine and an electric motor. But when operating on the electric battery, especially when idling at a stop or running at low speeds, the engine in a hybrid is almost silent. A hybrid vehicle is generally quieter than a vacuum cleaner.
• Medieval Technical Support: Introducing the Book
• Web Site: Snackimals
• Someone is Going to Pay: To thank the Red Chinese for building a brand new [[cricket]] stadium, the government of [[Grenada]] brought in a police band which honored its benefactors by playing the Taiwanese national anthem. Whoops.

If you find any articles worthy of mention in these roundups, send the URL to gazissax at best dot com. And feel free to comment!