Octopus Overlords

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:03 pm

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 10:30 am I just read where Johnson & Johnson are going to be split into two companies.
Can you make a joke about that?

Alas, it's long overdue that the fine and upstanding Johnson folks distance themselves from the disgraceful shenanigans of Johnson.

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:03 pm

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 10:30 am I just read where Johnson & Johnson are going to be split into two companies.
Can you make a joke about that?

Alas, it's long overdue that the fine and upstanding Johnson folks distance themselves from the disgraceful shenanigans of Johnson.

As long as they don't start doing commercials like the Twix ones... Those have outstayed their welcome.

Are we talking front/back, top/bottom, left/right, or some weird mobius strip bagel affair?

Warning: Ramble incoming

In late August, my cousin Scott passed from COVID. He was 2 years older than me (49). Even before COVID, he had struggled for years with depression and mental illness. He had openly discussed suicide a number of times, and as recently as July he had reached out to friends and family to finally try to get some help and support. We did what we could, but I simply don't think there was much fight left in him when COVID hit. He told my aunt on one of the last days he could communicate that he thought COVID was finally his "way out". He passed a few days later, leaving behind a wife and two kids.

Just got a call that my other cousin Bill (Scott's oldest brother) passed away this morning. He was 60 years old. Bill had also struggled for years with severe mental illness. He also had diabetes, which had progressed to the point where they had to amputate his right foot, three toes on his left foot, and three fingers on his right hand in the past 6 months. Bill's mental illness primarily manifested in very aggressive behavior (mostly verbal abuse) towards anyone who tried to help him, such as doctors, family, caregivers, etc.. He also completely refused to acknowledge the reality of his situation. For example, when he was in the hospital with gangrenous digits, he simply got up and left, trailing bloody bandages on his way out. He was convinced he was going to find his own apartment and live on his own, even though he had no ability at all to care for himself. He was on dialysis, but often refused to go and was completely belligerent when he did go. Due to this issue, his three surviving brothers were in the process of getting him declared mentally incompetent and a danger to himself. When he was told earlier this week that if he didn't do what the doctors advised that he was going to die, his response was "why didn't anyone ever tell me I was sick?"

Crazy thing is, when Bill was my age he was on top of the world. He was an executive at a toy company, making a huge salary and traveling all around the world. He was fired from that job around 10 years ago, which sent him into a massive downward spiral ever since. He got divorced, became completely estranged from his adult kids due to his aggressive behavior, occasionally worked a series of minimum wage jobs, and lived in my aunt's basement. He basically did nothing but sit around watching TV and eating junk food all day. His mental state got worse and worse, and any time someone tried to get him some help, he lashed out with a barrage of psychological warfare, primarily against my aunt and uncle. "You don't care about me" or "Why are you trying to destroy me", that sort of thing. It's been a steadily worsening situation, to the point where they had no option but to kick him out. He bounced around between a few different care centers, but got so bad that each one eventually told him he had to leave. This all just amped up his victim complex, and he was firmly convinced that the entire family was out to "ruin his life". All the while, his untreated diabetes got steadily worse until he finally got to the point where he had to be committed to a hospice facility and passed today.

My aunt and uncle are, understandably, completely devastated. They've now lost their oldest and youngest sons in the space of three months. While diabetes and COVID are the "official" culprits, the untreated mental illness for both of them played the largest part in their demise. Both of them were unable to admit there was a problem and refused to get any help until it was far too late. While I'm sad that Bill passed, it's a relief in many ways. He's free from pain, both for himself and for the irreparable damage he was leaving in his wake. I can't even imagine how my aunt and uncle are going to deal with this, as neither of them (both in their mid-80's) are in great health either. My fear is that I'm going to get a call soon that one or the other of them has passed on as well. They can only take so much heartbreak.

Mental illness is truly an insidious beast that can take down the strongest person. It's insane to me to think how quickly Bill deteriorated from a high-functioning successful guy when he was my age, to someone who was limping out of hospitals with his limbs rotting away because he couldn't acknowledge reality.

I guess the takeaway is that if you're struggling, please do whatever you can to get some help. Watching the complete decimation that their family has been through over the past year has been absolutely horrific, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Be good to each other, y'all.

Thank you for that post. It's horrible news, but it's a good reminder of how helpless we can be in the face of mental illness.

Holman wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:32 pm Thank you for that post. It's horrible news, but it's a good reminder of how helpless we can be in the face of mental illness.

Agreed. It was a hard read. But still important.

I don't think I've had much experience with mental illness in my family. But it makes me wonder if I'd even have recognized it. We have our own demons.

I can't imagine what your uncle and aunt are going through. It's got to be devastating. They say outliving your children is particularly hard.

I'm sorry for your (their) loss and appreciate your taking the time to tell their stories. When we lost my BIL a couple of years ago, the nominal cause of death was diabetes, but really it was obesity and depression. His siblings didn't even know he was diabetic until he went into the hospital, and only realized how depressed he was after he died and they saw how he'd been living -- mostly disabled, running out of money, with no life partner or purpose...he gradually spiraled down after losing his job a couple of years prior.

Your cousin Bill wasn't subtle about it, but many people struggle in silence due to the stigma of mental illness and feelings of hopelessness.

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:45 pm but really it was obesity and depression.

Obesity was a huge factor for both of them. Watching them spiral like this is another of the reasons why I got off my ass and started running this year. Silver linings, I suppose.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:10 pm I guess the takeaway is that if you're struggling, please do whatever you can to get some help.

Yes, please.

I hate watching people suffer with things like this (including people here on OO), and it is so, so hard to convince them that things can be better for them, and to take the steps needed. So yeah, if you're feeling it, if it's weighing on you, if it's part of your life, please get some help. It can go away, and things can be normal again.

I'm so sorry your family is going through this. If anyone here is suffering, please reach out. Like BH said, help is available and it can really make a difference.

sorta related, and probably an important thing to know about:

In this video, author and depression counselor Douglas Bloch talks about Dysthymia - a condition of low-grade depression that can keep you living in the gray zone. Fortunately, dysthymia can be treated using a combination of cognitive and behavioral strategies that we talk about on this channel. In many instances, medication is not needed.

I see where medicare is raising its premiums by the largest rate ever. That will take care of my raise but will be twice as much as my wife's. So she'll loose money next year.

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 13, 2021 9:21 am I see where medicare is raising its premiums by the largest rate ever. That will take care of my raise but will be twice as much as my wife's. So she'll loose money next year.

Do you qualify for medicare premium help? Theres QMB, SLMB, QI, and QDWI. Each one depends on how much you draw. The more you draw the less each helps.

Like me and my wife together because we both drew qualified for QI for a while. Then the COLA went up and we got a small increase in monthly funds and they dropped us to SLMB. After my wife passed they automatically moved me to QMB. Im not sure on the numbers now but it was something at a guess like one made our monthly $50 each and one $25 each or some crap. The QMB Im on now I pay no monthly Medicare premium and I also pay zero co pay at doctors.

Always thought it was crappy how they give you your check then instantly take some away for Medicare.

Ok refoaming a speaker SUCKS. It looks so easy but no. And I checked the fit 4 times before applying glue. As soon as I put the glue down the foam no longer fit right. I moved it around while I still could but it still has a wrinkle. If it doesn't work right Ill just not hook the sub speaker back up. The 2 sats work without it hooked in. Bur %$#@. If I really cant get it to work and I miss bass Ill but a speaker off ebay for $30 one day.

Actually now that I think of it medicaid pays for my wife's medicare. I'm with the VA and they bill medicare and no deductions. Or at least I pay the deductions to them. I'm not sure how that all works but it ain't worth fucking with.

I'm so sick and tired of my body not being able to do the simple things I used to be able to do.

I still do things it just takes me longer. Im always "Whats up body? Why aren't we doing this like we used huh?"

Since the time change I get tired around 7 or 8. I get up around 9 and it gets dark around 5:30. By 8 Im stretched out on the bed resting on the electric blanket. Feels like the day is done. If I dont watch myself I nod off. Staying up from 8pm - bedtime around 12am is difficult now. And I sleep weird, wake u pa lot, and dream silly stuff.

At some point in the future (post-Christmas), I need to replace our worn-out, 20-year-old Wal-Mart table lamp.

It' surprisingly hard to find something that doesn't look like it belongs in my grandmother's house.

Random thought : I was just thinking of the ep of Little House when the Olsens in town got the first 'water closet'...a bathroom inside their house. Was thinking it must have been weird for people who had always used outhouses to poop and pee 'inside' their homes for the first time. I can just imagine people living outside of town "You use the bathroom INSIDE your home!?" Must have been a shocking change for some. For others I guess it was a happy time of no more spiders and freezing temps.

Do you know how many people got bit in the hemorrhoids by spiders?

Cocaine worth $44 million found in onion rings cargo at UK border

Can you imagine the surprise on the other end of this mix up? You've had a busy day and all you wanna do is some blow...but then you realize you've got an onion ring stuck up your nose. Awwwwwkward....

Unless you're booty bumpin.

I mean, the global shipping crisis is really something right now. Folks going about their business of shipping cocaine and some guy at the dock who's been working like 18 hours straight and is tired as hell slaps an onion ring sticker on their box instead of one that reads "100 percent pure Columbian cocaine". That's gotta suck for all parties.

Ring Doorbell Cam caught woman giving birth on the lawn.

Emily Johnson and husband were waiting for arrival of their baby, but she started having contractions a WEEK earlier. They are only 5 minutes away from the hospital, so they believe they have plenty of time, but apparently, they still misjudged it. Just as they walked outside to their car, she knew she wouldn't make it into the car.

Apparently baby can't wait to make an entrance.

Replying to Skinypupy


It's hard to get mental health care about now. I guess if you are actively on fire, so to speak, it would be easier, but it took me over two months to get a therapist appointment, and the session is still a couple weeks away. I just need to go over some stuff, but I can imagine that if you are spiralling downward, you might have difficulty getting help. If you have a family member that is in need of help, please support them. It might take a while before they get somebody, and it might take a while for them to drop their guard and be open with the therapist.
There is such a stigma attached to mental healthcare.

So today I ordered a small ice tea at Del Taco, and I was invited to get a medium because it's cheaper. Less is literally more.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:35 pm So today I ordered a small ice tea at Del Taco, and I was invited to get a medium because it's cheaper. Less is literally more.

Or in this case more is less. More or less.

Bear in a tree caused police to order the neighborhood into shelter-in-place in Petaluma, CA. The 400-500 pound bear apparently got scared and climbed up about 75-85 ft of a 150 ft tall tree.

TheMix wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:26 pm

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:03 pm

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 10:30 am I just read where Johnson & Johnson are going to be split into two companies.
Can you make a joke about that?

Alas, it's long overdue that the fine and upstanding Johnson folks distance themselves from the disgraceful shenanigans of Johnson.

As long as they don't start doing commercials like the Twix ones... Those have outstayed their welcome.

So has Arby's. Lower your prices and fix your food you dolts!

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:15 pm Bear in a tree caused police to order the neighborhood into shelter-in-place in Petaluma, CA. The 400-500 pound bear apparently got scared and climbed up about 75-85 ft of a 150 ft tall tree.

Poor little guy is just scared. Go away and leave him be. Gosh.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:58 pm

Kasey Chang wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:15 pm Bear in a tree caused police to order the neighborhood into shelter-in-place in Petaluma, CA. The 400-500 pound bear apparently got scared and climbed up about 75-85 ft of a 150 ft tall tree.

Poor little guy is just scared. Go away and leave him be. Gosh.

In the middle of a residential neighborhood? Unlikely. They'll scare him downward, THEN dart him so when he falls over he won't break his neck. Then he'll be released a couple hundred miles away in a deep forest.

…where he’ll assemble a crack team of underworld bears with long criminal histories, and they’ll return to take what he was after the first time.

Ya, I wouldn't want to be in that neighborhood. You've heard of people disappearing and others losing time. Thats bear strike teams not ufos.

I see it more as an ursine Oceans 11.

If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and you can find them, maybe you can hire… the B-Team.

I’m smarter than the average bear, motherf#&$@

Downtown looks nice this time of year. Cept for that bumper sticker. Apologies.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 7:16 pm

Jaymann wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:35 pm So today I ordered a small ice tea at Del Taco, and I was invited to get a medium because it's cheaper. Less is literally more.

Or in this case more is less. More or less.

Because most people never notice, and because the people who get small drinks do so with intent - they get a small because they want less. They don't notice that they're paying slightly more, and eventually they will make those extra few cents hundreds of thousands of times. It's not much in and of itself, but 'optimize' the price of enough things, and cut costs a few cents on enough things and it adds up. It can make the company millions.