Wednesday, 16 March 2016

By on March 16th, 2016 in Barbara, personal

09:17 – Spring seems to have arrived early in Sparta. It’s been warm for a couple weeks, and the last few days we’ve had highs near 70F. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we have a period of Indian winter at some point. The weather here is nothing if not unpredictable.

Barbara drove down to Winston this morning for an appointment with an oral surgeon. She was originally scheduled for mid-April, but there was a cancellation. She grabbed it, because she didn’t want to go another month of having to chew food on one side of her mouth.

The dentist wrote her prescriptions for cephalexin and twelve 375/5 mg acetaminophen/hydrocodone, which is far too small a dose of the latter and far too large of the former. And I see that the FDA is cracking down on prescriptions for opioid painkillers, as if it’s any of their business. All scheduled drugs should be de-scheduled immediately and made available over the counter. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to walk into Costco and buy large bottles of hydrocodone, oxycodone, or heroin or cocaine for that matter. It’s none of the government’s business.


37 Comments and discussion on "Wednesday, 16 March 2016"

  1. DadCooks says:

    There’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to walk into Costco and buy large bottles of hydrocodone, oxycodone, or heroin or cocaine for that matter. It’s none of the government’s business.

    As one who has been on long term hydrocodone/acet treatment (currently 7.5/325 every 6 hours) and I am not addicted, I could not agree with you more @RBT. My doctor used to be able to prescribe a 90 day supply with refills for a year. Now in WA State it requires a new script every 30 days and no refills. Cost has gone from less than $10.00 for a 90-day supply (360 tabs) to $82.35 for a 30-day supply (120 tabs).

    And the CDC and DEA wonder why there is a “heroin epidemic”. I could go to a well known area across the bridge and get all the high grade heroin and weed I want with no hassle. BTW, even though weed is legal is legal in WA State, the localities and counties have conspired to make it very very hard to get so the illicit trade is better than ever.

    I’m no goodie-two-shoes, I don’t do weed or illegal drugs. I do understand folks who do, they are not all “bad” people or addicts. IMHO, the laws do more to drive people to drug use than offer real help. The day may be on the horizon though after my wife retires and no longer has to be concerned about losing her RN License.

    Don’t anybody try to tell me to see a “pain therapist”. Been there, done that, big big joke by an insensitive goodie-two-shoes idiot.

  2. Robert Bruce Thompson says:

    Long-term use of opioids is a problem only if they’re expensive and/or hard to get. Until about 100 years ago, a huge percentage of women were addicted to opium because OTC medicines for menstrual cramps were opium-based. Those women were perfectly normal in every respect other than being addicts. But the stuff was cheap and readily available, so addiction caused no problems. And even if it did cause personal problems, that’s the individual’s decision. The government has no business getting involved. It’s just the lingering remnants of Puritanism, the idea that no one should be allowed to do anything that feels good.

  3. SteveF says:

    Don’t anybody try to tell me to see a “pain therapist”. Been there, done that, big big joke by an insensitive goodie-two-shoes idiot.

    Did he give you techniques for ignoring the pain? Happy thoughts, power of mind, just plain ignore it? I’ve heard from others about the uselessness of the consultation. Protip, guys: advice to ignore the pain does not work for most people.

  4. ap says:

    I rather think that the evolutionary purpose of pain is to be something which can’t be ignored!

  5. JimL says:

    Numerous studies have shown that addiction to painkillers that are prescribed for pain is relatively low. Much as was seen with drug use in SEA during the Vietnam war. People need medication while there’s a problem that needs medication. If they don’t get it from the doctor, they’ll self-medicate. When the cause of the pain is removed, the use of the drugs drops. Some do become addicted. Addiction can be treated when the addict doesn’t have to hide it.

    I would be fine with treating it like alcohol. Let adults make their own decisions. Let parents guide their children.

  6. Lynn says:

    “2016 Primary Results and Delegate Count”
    http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/primary-calendar-and-results.html?_r=0

    “Republican Delegates 1,237 to win nomination
    Donald J. Trump 646
    Ted Cruz 396
    Marco Rubio 169
    John Kasich 142”

    “Democratic Delegates 2,383 to win nomination
    Hillary Clinton 1,132
    Bernie Sanders 818”

    I guess that I had not realized before what a long march this is.

  7. Lynn says:

    “Clinton Versus Trump”
    http://blog.dilbert.com/post/141146589216/clinton-versus-trump

    “My gut feeling is that men will abandon Clinton every day from now until November unless Trump murders a baby on live television. Otherwise, I think Trump wins easily with men.”

    “Trump is well on his way to owning the identities of American, Alpha Males, and Women Who Like Alpha Males. Clinton is well on her way to owning the identities of angry women, beta males, immigrants, and disenfranchised minorities.”

    Are you an alpha male or a beta male? Are there zeta males?

  8. OFD says:

    “I guess that I had no realized before what a long march this is.”

    Interesting; yesterday the MSM made it look like Cankles had just blown away Sanders, but he’s not far behind her at all right now. On the other side, though, Trump is pulling away quite a bit from Cruz; we’ll probably see much more intense efforts to dump him from now on, right into the convention. One can gauge the level of their panic by noting how all those high-roller Party types and biz celebs met at Sea Island recently to conspire and plot their moves.

    Plenty of entertainment and boffo laffs to come on both sides now, looks like.

    Overcast today and temps allegedly heading into the fifties. Working on house cleanup ops after the contractors finished our living room ceiling and then back up to the slowly developing attic workshop and ham shack. Wife has agreed, suggested, in fact, that we put an AC unit in the window there this summer.

    Her pay check is late (again) and the reason this time? The “lady who processes the checks has been out for two weeks for surgery.” On other occasions someone has been out sick, out on vay-cay or personal days for a week, off to a retreat, etc., etc., and there is never anyone who picks up the slack. So their several dozen independent contractors are evidently just supposed to wait until whoever gets back to do the gig. Amazing. What’s also funny is that each month lately, I’ve gotten my SS check (direct deposit, natch) before she’s been paid. So once again, bills and taxes are late and credit takes another hit.

    Back to the revenue-producing objectives, as the IT world continues to fade away for such as I….

  9. DadCooks says:

    WRT self medicating: I have some really bad days of pain, particularly after a Costco run, and I have to help myself with 2oz of Jack Daniels Black in cola. A pint or two of Guinness also works and has the added benefit of its antioxidants.

    I have essentially no cartilage in my left knee and right ankle (it is best described as an auto-immune problem similar to rheumatoid arthritis and is appearing in more and more post-polio patients of the 1950s and before) and am not a realistic candidate for joint replacement. The reality is that artificial joints do not work in people over 250 pounds, oh sure doctors will subject a patient to the surgery but the joint will fail, usually within 5 years, and your 5 years of partial disability after the surgery will become full unrecoverable disability after your surgery.

  10. Robert Bruce Thompson says:

    Clinton’s total include “superdelegates”. Sanders doesn’t get any of those, so in terms of delegates actually earned, we have damn commie kicking Clinton’s ass. That’s sufficient evidence for any reasonable person that none of the people who voted for either of them should ever have been allowed to vote in the first place.

  11. SteveF says:

    Current delegate count

    This says Hillary Bitch Clinton has “earned” more delegates than the commie. Though note the info comes from the NY Times, hardly a reputable source.

  12. Robert Bruce Thompson says:

    You’re right. That may be true now after the big states that voted yesterday. ISTR that Clinton has something like 460 of those superdelegates and Sanders has just a handful.

  13. OFD says:

    Here’s how it boils down today:

    1.) Cankles will be nominated, unless medical or grand jury reasons prevent it. Which can occur again anyway during the remaining campaign or even once she’s in the WH.

    2.) Trump will have the numbers to be nominated UNTIL the actual convention, and at any time up to then, I wouldn’t put it past the Party to find a way to get rid of him. If they can’t, they’ll rig the convention accordingly. So far they’ve floated both Romney and Ryan as alternative candidates, and neither of those clowns is even running.

    So theoretically, the odds are that we’ll have a Trump vs. Cankles general election, but almost anything can happen between now and November.

    Firebase OFD will continue to prep as though for a massive ice storm/blizzard which knocks out the power for a month or longer while goblins and gremlins roam the AO looting and and being generally troublesome.

  14. Robert Bruce Thompson says:

    I think a lot of people now are pissed off enough to shoot someone, but they don’t know who to shoot.

  15. Ray Thompson says:

    Which can occur again anyway during the remaining campaign

    Silly you. Don’t you think the obuttwad has told the FBI and justice department heads in no uncertain terms to lay low on indicting cankles?

    even once she’s in the WH

    She would immediately get rid of anyone (either by firing or through an unfortunate accident) that would even think of indicting her and replace those people with persons that worship her. If she gets elected she will never get indicted on anything.

    I wouldn’t put it past the Party to find a way to get rid of him

    If the party were to do that there would be a revolt among the republicans who would be so pissed they would change parties and vote for a democrat.

    we’ll have a Trump vs. Cankles general election

    Agreed. And all the stops will be pulled out during the final campaign. Expect cankles to pull some dirt on Trump, even fabricate something. She is a nasty, vindictive, power hungry bitch.

  16. OFD says:

    “Don’t you think the obuttwad has told the FBI and justice department heads in no uncertain terms to lay low on indicting cankles?”

    One would think so, but there is also a history of bad blood between Obola and the Klintons.

    “She would immediately get rid of anyone…”

    Yeah, I’m thinking more along the lines of medical disasters at that point, rather than any likelihood of an indictment. And there’s powerful factions at that level engaged in various struggles for dominance, so we’ll see.

    “…there would be a revolt among the republicans who would be so pissed they would change parties and vote for a democrat.”

    Which would play right into their hands; they’ve made it abundantly clear that if faced with a choice between Trump and Cankles, they’d much rather have the latter. So a win-win for them if Trump is gone. They obviously don’t worry about a bunch of pissed-off fellow Party members much, as indicated by their past performances. Or they co-opt them, like they did the Pee Party clowns, funny tricorn hats and all.

    “She is a nasty, vindictive, power hungry bitch.”

    There’s that and then there’s evil. She is evil. As is Larry. And true also for the Bush crime family. They all make LBJ look like a rank amateur. And he was a monster, in the words of the late Dick Nixon, who ought to have known.

    But like I say, anything can happen between now and then. Makes it interesting.

    “I think a lot of people now are pissed off enough to shoot someone, but they don’t know who to shoot.”

    Send them my way; I have a list. Actually they need to ID their local criminal scumbags and political commissars and get the relevant intel on them now for later disposition. The big names will get their comeuppance sooner or later and some of them damn well know it. More challenging is identifying any local commie vanguard types, the people who plan and implement and lead the various urban mob actions we’ve seen lately. Got any in YOUR ‘hood?

  17. Lynn says:

    To whoever recommended, “10 Cloverfield Lane” was an awesome movie. John Goodman should be nominated for an Oscar. He had me convinced that … (spoiler).
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179933/

  18. MrAtoz says:

    That was me, Mr. Lynn. Great movie.

  19. MrAtoz says:

    Dirty Harry Reid on Obuttwad’s SCOTUS nom:

    Republicans are backing down so quickly that they’re already bargaining about what month they will fully cave and confirm Obama’s nominee.

    That’s probably just what the GOP will do. Spineless jellyfish. Another nail in the GOP coffin.

  20. SteveF says:

    Yeah, I’m thinking more along the lines of medical disasters at that point

    My money’s on Trump infuriating her into an aneurysm in the first 17 minutes of their first debate.

  21. OFD says:

    “Spineless jellyfish. Another nail in the GOP coffin.”

    As I’ve said before, there is zero appreciable difference between either half of the Party; this factional infighting is a pro-wrestling-level sideshow meant to gull the rubes and bumpkins in the stands, while carny barkers hawk the show itself and sales hucksters roam the aisles with their greasy cardboard boxes of goodies, mostly used condoms and bum-wad. The Fox Nooz mobs eat it all up, while on the other side they glom onto NPR and MSNBC.

    “My money’s on Trump infuriating her into an aneurysm in the first 17 minutes of their first debate.”

    I’d pay good money to see that, but she’s a pretty slick operator when it comes to that kind of stuff; I doubt she’ll be rattled by the likes of The Donald. And anyway they’re actually pals, as many pics from the past couple of decades attest. It’s all just a big carnival performance for the masses, and meanwhile the global elites continue to churn away at their objective, which is apparently a return to feudalism in the West and if that’s accompanied by civil war and mass die-offs, all to the better.

  22. Lynn says:

    Firebase OFD will continue to prep as though for a massive ice storm/blizzard which knocks out the power for a month or longer while goblins and gremlins roam the AO looting and and being generally troublesome.

    But should you prep like “10 Cloverfield Lane” ? Yes, that is a bunker under ground in Louisiana. Gotta be north of Baton Rouge due to the water table problems. Although, the bunker was not very far under ground, the bottom was probably only 20 ft below.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQy-ANhnUpE

    Again, I have never seen this John Goodman. Scared the you know what out of me, I believed him capable of anything.

  23. DadCooks says:

    “I think a lot of people now are pissed off enough to shoot someone, but they don’t know who to shoot.”

    Well I know them. I may just be an old crippled bubble-head, but I’ll be glad to take care of more than my share here on the left coast. I honed my shooting skills shooting quail, ducks, rabbits, and squirrels on the run. No shotgun for me, .22 hollow point long rifle, head shots, pretty damn good if I do say so and my Grandmother appreciated the clean meat. I do have a caliber and load more appropriate for the targets who are more than deserving, and I know who they are (Matthew 7:16: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

  24. MrAtoz says:

    The US Marines get even better:

    If you’re shooting at someone, it is highly likely that they will try to avoid getting hit. Ergo, for people who sometimes shoot at other people as part of their job—like the Marines, for instance—one might expect a certain level of training involving moving targets. Not so fast!
    According to a report in the Marine Corps Times, the military’s Semper Fidelis contingent is finally adding moving targets to its list of marksmanship qualifications. Soon, in addition to stationary targets, Marines will also need to know how to successfully gun down a mobile object.

  25. rick says:

    BTW, even though weed is legal is legal in WA State, the localities and counties have conspired to make it very very hard to get so the illicit trade is better than ever.

    In the Portland area it’s easy to get. There seems to be a pot shop on every corner. There are even pot billboards.

    I have no interest in using weed. If I did, I’d grow my own as Oregon law allows growing up to four plants for personal use.

    Rick in Portland

  26. OFD says:

    “But should you prep like “10 Cloverfield Lane” ? Yes, that is a bunker under ground…”

    Heck no, kemosabe. I’m somewhat claustrophobic. If it was a nuke explosion and my choice was being blasted into Kingdom Come or radiation poisoning (for the latter I’d find a way out faster than that would take me, guaranteed) I’d choose to stay aboveground and take my chances.

    “I honed my shooting skills shooting quail, ducks, rabbits, and squirrels on the run.”

    If you’re still that good with the .22, hone them some more with an AR. May need a bigger caliber for the 300-yard street melon shots.

    “Soon, in addition to stationary targets, Marines will also need to know how to successfully gun down a mobile object.”

    Just a tad late to the party, ain’t they? Ya gotta get off the X. i.e., you gotta be moving when necessary and still hit them when they’re moving.

    “I have no interest in using weed. If I did, I’d grow my own…”

    Ditto. I wouldn’t trust anything I bought from someone else, for one thing. But no interest; I have enough trouble as it is sometimes with bronchial asthma symptoms, though not lately. Back in the day, though, I smoked truckloads, and none finer than in SEA. Haven’t had a hit since 1989 and don’t miss it at all.

  27. pcb_duffer says:

    [snip] twelve 375/5 mg acetaminophen/hydrocodone, [snip]

    Why not ask for the hydrocodone / ibuprofen version? Also available as oxycodone / ibuprofen for those who need something stronger. I have to opt for the oxycodne, as the hydrocodone seems to have little to no effect on me. (It’s a larger PITA for the MDs, but too bad so sad. Thankfully I don’t need it every day.)

  28. DadCooks says:

    @OFD, yes I am keeping proficient. It is a great effort for me to get out to the range, but it is a priority and I do it damn the pain. Unfortunately my game hunting days are over, unless I get one of tank-treaded ATV chairs. Now if just hadn’t lost some of the heavy iron in the river 😉

  29. nick says:

    Asking for the good stuff gets you on a list, and you’ll never get any.

    WRT radiation poisoning, it turns out the the recommended cleanser for poison ivy TecNu, was developed as a no water wash for removing radioactive dust (fallout) from skin. Walgreens here is blowing it out. In fact they’re blowing out a whole bunch of stuff. SERIOUS discounts. Almost every item on the shelves is reduced. If you need to stock up on meds, check out your local walgreens.

    bTW, the TecNu seems to be mineral spirits, an oil soap, and flavoring.. Easy enough to make your own. Smells and feels like it too.

    If there’s any poison ivy or oak or sumac in your AO get some of the wash, and A LOT of treatment options. It’s debilitating if you get it on enough of you.

    Spent the day at the Houston Rodeo and livestock show. I’m reminded that there is hope for the youth of America. The kids who will be actually doing things in the real world were on display with their livestock. Lots of people still in the world living real lives, and they’ll keep doing it if we give them room.

    nick

  30. OFD says:

    “It is a great effort for me to get out to the range, but it is a priority and I do it damn the pain.”

    Shotguns of the two most common calibers are also pretty handy to have around the house, maybe on each floor, with attached lights.

    “Almost every item on the shelves is reduced. If you need to stock up on meds, check out your local walgreens.”

    Roger that; thanks for the tip. R they goin’ outta biz or sumthin’?

    “I’m reminded that there is hope for the youth of America. The kids who will be actually doing things in the real world were on display with their livestock. Lots of people still in the world living real lives, and they’ll keep doing it if we give them room.”

    Good to be reminded of that. There are many tens of millions here who don’t make the MSM nooz and who are living decent, orderly and productive lives. They are hated and despised by the ruling elites, of course, and their media enablers. Probably clinging bitterly to their guns and their religion.

    Spent the day here on cleanup ops downstairs, setting up smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers, most of them new. Had a chat with the next-door neighbor, decent guy, former head of security at the IBM plants up here where he and I both used to work; he retired and I’m semi-retired, I guess. He and his wife support her elderly WWII vet dad and her two shiftless, entitled, slut daughters, one in their house and the other on the other side of us with a little girl. Both daughters seem to have no visible means of support but we see them all the time with ciggies in their gobs and intently deep into their iPads or on their cell phones. I suspect Leo is a semi-prepper and also possesses firearms, but he’s not mentioned much on the subject yet, nor have I. Hey, I’ve only been here a little over three years!

    Also got the new Tails on a stick and will be cloning it to another one with persistence enabled. And fired up the new RaspberryPI 3 and put Chirp on it; I’ll have it upstairs with the radios, along with, eventually, a Panasonic Toughbook loaded with Andy’s Ham Radio Linux that I can take out and about. Moving the RHEL server up to the attic, also; doesn’t seem like I’ll need to bother on the cert study for it while I have other priorities here. Maybe later. Working on network and security studies currently, along with ham radio licenses and firearms stuff. And reorganizing the office, assembling the new workbench in the attic and developing that space up there.

    Saw a bit of sun for a while near the end of the day, as is common here, and it stayed light out past 6:30.

  31. OFD says:

    http://www.garynorth.com/public/14966.cfm

    What will the Feebie Director finally do? Your bets, ladies and germs?

  32. Lynn says:

    Wow, John Goodman has lost 100 lbs since he made the 10 Cloverfield Lane movie.

  33. Lynn says:

    My son thinks that Trump is going to go into the debates with Cankles and just read her emails. Ignore Cankles and the moderator and just read her emails to the camera.

  34. ech says:

    So far they’ve floated both Romney and Ryan as alternative candidates, and neither of those clowns is even running.

    Romney has insisted he has no interest, that his time is passed. In fact, the only people I’ve seen floating their names are TV pundits trying to stir the pot.

    Clinton will hand Trump his head in the general. It won’t be as bad as Nixon-McGovern in electoral votes, but it will be close.

    Trump is viewed unfavorably by over 50 to 60% in most of the Rust Belt states with lots of electoral votes. He is behind Clinton in those states by high single to double digits. No person has been elected president with that kind of unfavorable rating, and it’s been pretty constant, Hilary is also above the unfavorable threshold, but just barely. Cruz is just below it.

  35. OFD says:

    I fear Mr. ech is correct, unless there is a health/med crisis or indictment; as per my earlier posted link, much depends on what the Feebie director decides to do with the latter.

    Won’t it be great? Another President Klinton, much worse than the first one. Watch firearms sales go through the roof the closer we get and forever after.

  36. Lynn says:

    Trump is viewed unfavorably by over 50 to 60% in most of the Rust Belt states with lots of electoral votes. He is behind Clinton in those states by high single to double digits. No person has been elected president with that kind of unfavorable rating, and it’s been pretty constant, Hilary is also above the unfavorable threshold, but just barely. Cruz is just below it.

    Got URL ?

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