DON'T SOAK IN THIS

`````Soothing indeed. Do these and you may end up so agitated that you don't sleep for a couple of days. Two people in England have been confirmed dead as a result of them. For, these "bath salts" are the new drug of choice in England. They are cheap and legal. And joy of joys, they offer the prospect of weight loss and energy. In fact, before her death, one woman went from a size sixteen to a size six in a matter of months. She had recently been married and was upset about her weight. In the past, there were reports that she'd had issues with her appearance and food. She began to snort these bath salts.

`````After reading the article on this item, Ivory Wave, I checked out the web site. Sure enough, there's discussion about how intense the high is. One person reported not sleeping for over 48 hours. The price is between fifteen and eighteen pounds, which is much cheaper then speed or cocaine and has the added benefit of being legal. It has replaced a drug called "meow meow", which was being sold as fertilizer and was legal until a while ago. These all fall under the category of designer drugs; they are synethsized in a lab and have a chemical makeup similiar to drugs already out there. Because they have a molecule that is off those that are listed on the charts, they technically aren't illegal until so listed. Dozens of people either died or became very ill from the "meow meow" drug until legislators had the chance to place it on the banned list. It too was a stimulant.

`````Ivory Wave has caused people to become paranoid, not sleep and have seizures. Their blood pressure goes up and they become agitated. Why the appeal? Unfortunately, many women seek out such drugs because they want to lose weight. Over the years the drugs change, but the motivation doesn't. Check out the so-called "pro-ana" websites. For those unfamiliar with the term, these tell people how to lose weight in less then healthy ways. The readers are not those who need to drop a few pounds either; they are people who are already well under their ideal weight. People swap tips on the best ways to vomit and hide it. Little tricks like that. Some of these sites also offer information on how to go about getting medication that helps you lose weight.

`````Some people start to use this stuff to drop a few pounds and soon find that they are unable to stop. For those already prone to compulsive behaviour, it isn't a difficult trap to get into. In this case, it is possible for a person to be a slave to two masters. For somebody who is already hurting their body, to do drugs on top of it is a sure way to hit the grave fast. While some of this medication has a purpose for those who genuinely need it, it is not meant to be abused. For example, Topamax is a medication for seizures. It is also given to those with really bad migraines. However, it's been found that it may cause weight loss. Thus, pro-ana websites will sometimes mention that people should fake migraines to get a doctor to prescribe the drug. This medication was found to be in the possession of both Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Murphy; both women who lost a lot of weight prior to their dying.

`````By the way, men are also using items to alter their bodies. However, they tend to purchase chemicals to make themselves bigger. The drive is the same; a dislike of the self or a dissatisfaction with the goods. If you buy something in the gym, it's probably not going to be pure or the real thing. Some might not even be meant for human usage. I once knew somebody who wrestled and he was as well aware of which laxatives worked the best for dropping weight as I was. Furthermore, a guy who did a bit of modelling once gave me the name of a doctor who was known to prescribe medication even if you didn't need it (the notrious "Dr M"). He was as crazed about his weight as I was at the time. It isn't just a female thing.

`````In the meantime, the hospitals are keeping an eye out for people getting ill from this new drug and there's a move afoot to ban this one too. But, another one will most likely pop up when that happens. Better living through chemistry?

CLASSIC 70'S TV MOVIE AND A GUILTY PLEASURE

This is classic 70's. It stars Mr Brady and the original woman from Eight is Enough, along with one of the Sweathogs from Welcome Back Kotter. It's actually a well done movie and is one of my guilty pleasures. It has every thing that 70's movies need. The cool girl rides a horse. There's a ballad by Paul Williams in the soundtrack, which soars whenever the drama rises. As an insomniac, I've come to appreciate the fine nuances of 70's T.V. movies (the devil was big too). Here's some trivia; John Travolta fell in love with the woman who played his mother in the film, even though she was much older then him. She went on the develop cancer when starring on Eight is Enough and subsequently died. It deeply effected John Travolta, who was filming Saturday Night Fever at the time.

BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE AS WELL AS THE OUTSIDE

`````Years ago, I picked up a book in a delete bin about women from the 60's who had been icons in one way or another. I knew who most of them were, but there was a person that I didn't recognize and her story was truly inspirational. That person was Chris Noel. She had done some acting and had been in films with Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen and others whose names you would know. In fact, had she played her cards differently, her career may have really taken off.

`````Chris Noel was a very attractive woman, but she also had that "it" factor, which made her appealing to both men and women. She came across as a nice person who wasn't a threat. One day she made a visit to a Veteran's Hospital, and in the amputee ward she was overcome with the smell of those suffering from gangrene. These were young men who had served their country, and they were paying dearly for it. She felt that she had to do something.

`````The politics of the time were such that people mixed up supporting troops with supporting the war. Thus, they all too often turned their back on them. By making the choice that she did, it had a negative impact on her career. It was not cool in Hollywood to be seen as siding with the war; it was Conservative...not hip. Chris didn't care, as she followed her heart.

`````She did several tours to Viet Nam. This was at a time that was very different then it is today. There were no cell phones, so if you were in country, you were really removed from things. If you were sporting a flak jacket, it was heavy and hot. The helicopter she was in was actually shot down. She became such a popular fixture for the troops that the Viet Cong put a bounty on her head of $10,000.

`````Her support did not end once the war did. She understands the agony of PTSD. The man she married killed himself as a result of it. To this day, she continues to offer assistance to Viet Nam War veterans. A new study that just came out the other day, by the way, indicates that these people are more prone to suffer dementia on top of every other ailment that they have already gone through. If anybody knows a person who has PTSD, it is a horrid affliction; people find it difficult to connect with others. They are prone to abuse alcohol and drugs, attempt suicide, engage in risky behavior and remain hyper vigilante at all times.

`````I have included a link to Chris' web site. She runs it herself and it has a number of clips from her films. There is also a petition, as there is a move under way to have her receive a medal for the work she did in Viet Nam. I do believe that she truly deserves it.

LINK TO CHRIS NOEL WEB SITE

Hi love! Welcome to ChrisNoel.com

There are video clips here, a petition for the Presidential Medal of Freedom and old articles and photographs.

SCHMUTZ, OLLIE, LUMPY, CHESTER, DOT

Black cats, lay drugged by the sun.

Impaled on the blades of light.

ENOUGH WITH THOSE ARTICLES ON 'FAT STARS'`

`````I don't want to sound like that guy who stood behind the curtains in his Grandmother's den and started to wail about leaving Britney alone, but I am sick of the interest the media has taken in Misha Barton's weight. I am not a fan; I think I may have watched two episodes of the O.C. when it first came out. But the other day there was an article about her in some paper. It isn't just the tabloids which comment on her weight gain. The paper posted what they deemed to be unflattering outfits and stated that she was once a style icon.

`````I can imagine how she feels. While my weight gain drama wasn't played out for the world to see, I certainly felt as though it were. I felt like I had a flashing neon sign over my head declaring that I was a disgusting pig. I still feel like the world's biggest screw-up. She has every pound speculated upon in a very public fashion. Photographers try to snap a photo of her cellulite. It's no longer the quality of her acting which matters, but only how she acts. In fact, because she's no longer "hot enough", she isn't acting as much as she once was, or demanding the same level of pay.

`````I'll be honest. I think that I've probably engaged in every type of disordered eating that's out there except for pica. Nobody's heard of that one...it's where the victims eat non edible items such as grass or paint peelings. Other then that, it's probably been within the repertoire of my behavior at some point. I've written about the anorexia, but that found its way into laxative abuse after consuming huge amounts of food. Add to that compulsive overeating, using physical activity to get rid of food eaten, binge eating---well, you get the point. Been there, done that, and have the t-shirt in sizes from extra small to extra large.

`````Misha Barton's "friends" dumped her when she gained weight. She found that people would turn their backs on her and she was no longer invited to the cool parties with the in people. She's the same person. My guess is that the weight gain is from medication, as it came about around the time of her hospitalization in a psychiatric hospital. Many medications, be they for bi-polar disorder or medications such as seroquel state that weight gain may result. Don't put the girl into the position of having to choose her mental well-being, and perhaps her life, with weight gain. Furthermore, she is normal by any body's standards other then the film industry or the modelling industry. She's a very attractive woman.

`````As to the comments about her clothing, boy do I understand that one. If you feel bad about how you look, one develops rules for dressing. No shorts, no bathing suits, no short sleeves. There always has to be a jacket or a vest hanging to cover the stomach. If you have to get up to use the restroom, have a purse big enough to cover your gut when you walk. It's insane the planning. The problem is, those aren't necessarily the clothes that you would buy or wear if you were thin. You merely make do. Mind you, that's what you do with your entire life; the weight unhappiness controls every facet of your life. You buy stuff that feels too old for you. You miss out on going to the beach and you avoid the heat, because going out there in all black clothes in long sleeves is very uncomfortable.

`````I hadn't been able to blog about it when I first read it, but I put an article aside. One of the trash tabloids ran an article on food swaps to help people lose weight and they ran photos of Tori Spelling, Brittany Snow, Nicky Hilton and Audrina Patridge with the article. A couple of those women are suspected of having some current issues with food. In the article, beside Tori's photo, it suggested that we replace potato salad with cucumber salad, as it's 400 calories versus 50. I found it ironic that they said "beware the family barbeque." I would say that in Tori's case that would only apply if they were worried about the drama from family dynamics, certainly not calories.

`````I once read that many nutritionists themselves have disordered eating. If the "nutrition director" honestly thinks that Tori Spelling needs to worry about the potato salad, the person is a quack. It's a disgusting message to be putting out there.

`````This bias is not merely applied to the stars. I know that I would never get ahead as I'm certainly not good looking. I loathe my appearance and always try to fade into the background. It's prevented me from speaking in university, wanting to apply for jobs or meet new people. Studies prove that women who are good looking have it easier in life and are more apt to be judged in a better light. So, while we cannot discriminate on the basis of some body's colour, we certainly continue to do it on how somebody looks.

`````I certainly hope that they cut this girl (Misha Barton), some slack. Otherwise, she may be just one more woman who resorts to coke or any of the other chemicals out there that help you lose weight fast and keep hunger away.

LEMON REPORT---THIS COMPUTER IS SPELL CHECKING WORDS THAT ARE SPELLED CORRECTLY.

MEMORIES OF ATTACKS BY FLAMING MARSHMELLOWS AND FISHING HOOKS

`````I got off work this morning, and I am now officially on vacation leave. When we were kids, we always spent the Labour Day long weekend at the cabin. I know that's how I got my amazing bladder control. The roads would be a mess, with old men in hats holding up the wagon train in their Winnibego behemoths. Dad would manage to pass these people, and he certainly wasn't going to pull over to use the bathroom only to start all over again. Dad would do well on "The Amazing Race."
`````What is it that tells a person to invest in a house on wheels at the very time in their life that driving skills begin to go down for many? They would look terrified as they plowed their way through "Hell's Gate" and the aptly named "Jackass Mountain." They would somehow rediscover the gas pedal everytime there was a passing lane. Other then that, there was so much flashing of red from their brakelights that it should have enduced epileptic seizures in those so prone. You knew that if the licence plates came from the great plains or prairie provinces, you were doomed. Every corner, every hill, would set off a chain reaction as they panicked. For those used to being able to see their dog running away for a week, the canyon was a nightmare. I could never figure out the irony of naming something that moved like a tank after a swift animal. Who were they kidding? Forget the cat-like monikers. Let's just call this thing for what it is; the Turtle.
`````Once the roads forked off, we'd stop to eat in a hot town in a valley basin. The same guy was always sitting on a bench in the front. Dad would veer off for the bar, probably to drown his sorrows over stupid drivers, while we'd head with Mom for the cafeteria. I've come to the realization that nobody ever actually buys those wienies on the metal post; the ones that whirl round and round like some meat hamster cage. A product that can cook forever and not change consistancy cannot be good for you. The same went for those desserts; featured in a twirling glass case. It was a collection of variously coloured cubes of Jello, with fake cream dolloped on top. They looked like treasured jewels from Tiffany's as they spun on their mirrored platforms.
`````Mom would never order any food for herself, but would then insist on picking off my plate. It was years before I learned that mind-trick that the calories don't count if it's not eaten from your own plate.
`````Of course, this stop provided us with the opportunity to finally (FINALLY!) use the washroom. Here was my introduction to pay toilets. There was one free stall at the far end, and obviously, this one never got cleaned. In return, it had the best graffitti; who was passing through from where. Who was a no good man stealer that all women should watch for. Funny how the stuff scribed into stalls in men's rooms puts down women, but so does most of the reparte in the female section. There's never a comment about what a no good dog some guy might be. Nope; there's the name and number of the Scarlet Woman herself.
`````If we were lucky, my cousins would be up at the lake for the duration of our stay. My male cousin never once managed to cast a fly-rod. It forever missed the water, but would imbed itself into the flesh of some victim instead. It was like playing "Go Fish" combined with tag . It didn't really matter where you stood, that hook would hit the spot. It was probably how the citizens of San Francisco felt when the Zodiac killer was loose. Poor guy; things didn't go well for him. I still have the scar from a lava like mix of cinders and marshmellow that bored its way into my hand. I figure that's got to be what the China Syndrome will be like when it takes place.
`````The worst thing was the trek to the outhuse if you had to go at night. It would mean tossing on shoes and making a dash for it in the fairly cool night air. By then, the brisk walk would have you wide awake. A person had to be diligent about doing the spider check before they sat down, too.
`````We spent most of the time in or on the water. Going swimming, now in hindsight, was like a physical enactment of that "Bones" song...you know...the toe bone's connected to the anklebone, etc. The water was cold, and we'd slowly immerse ourselves in it, before taking that faithful plunge. Our boat was called Fred, and we were left to our own devices as we rowed around the lake. At night, we would try to tune in radio stations from far flung places. This, of course, was the electronic version of the licence plates we'd watch for when we drove here. A collection of other places, not here. Night also meant campfires and ghost stories, accompagnied by the wienie that fell off its stick and into the flame just as it was finally ready. I always had a stack of books with me too, which I'd devour along with my sunflower seeds. They got better and saltier towards the end of the book.
`````My brother has taken his family up to the lake, and now there's portable DVD's and carry along toilets. We were never bored, but kids now need their gadgets.
`````I still crave a roadtrip; a drive to no where as long as it still includes the proper collection of Pixie Sticks, Diet Pepsi and good music. My mind would still scan for the exotic plates; I kow it would. But, alas, my road trip partner has had his fair share of train museums and my eclectic tastes. So, I'm having to spend this holidy close to home. No exploring the old mine that I want to do, no wax museums, or eating black bean cakes in a Chinese garden. Oh well, now I don't have an excuse for not cleaning the house.