Absolutely. The US is an oligarchy controlled by the rich and, at the national level, many politicians are just their puppets. Most Republicans and Democrats are different sides of the same coin, the long form of the good cop/bad cop routine, and I'm always astounded so many people can't see that. They're now barely hiding it.
These people are like cows claiming the rancher is on their side because they feed and care for them. Motherfuckers, the rancher is the one who sells you to be butchered.
Oh fuck me! Almost two weeks later... Sorry! Things have been hectic and I've been a bit overwhelmed, so I lost track of some things. Okay, most things.
Regarding ADHD, don't discount it or really any condition without digging deep into it with a professional. You might be surprised. Here's my experience.
I didn't get a proper ADHD diagnosis until my early forties. I was shocked as I was absolutely certain I didn't have it. Even then I didn't get properly medicated - my initial diagnosis had me on guanfacine as I wasn't seen to have many ADHD issues and they weren't severe. It made a huge difference and guanfacine barely does anything compared to other meds.
A few years later, I met with another psychiatrist who helped me realize I had several more issues than I thought and they "weren't too severe" because I was handling them through insane amounts of complex coping mechanisms and good ol' brute force. This explained why I was always emotionally and mentally exhausted, why I'd wake up and just sit in bed for hours despite not being depressed in the slightest.
If you had any childhood trauma, including emotional trauma like neglectful, emotionally absent, manipulative, and/or verbally abusive parents, I cannot recommend Pete Walker's "The Tao of Fully Feeling" and "Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving" enough. I may have mentioned those before but they're my two go-to books out of the literally dozens I've read. The Tao of Fully Feeling is also just great for anyone dealing with issues with emotions.
I'm on on a few meds:
Jornay PM: time delayed, extended release Ritalin. You take it at night and it kicks in the next morning. On Ritalin, I feel 10x smarter and I can actually get moving to get things done! I don't have as many issues with sensory or mental overload and can earlier identify when that might be happening. I can better stay calm in stressful situations, mentally juggle complex thoughts, and keep track of more than one thing at a time.
Guanfacine ER: A blood pressure med that helps with the executive dysfunction aspect of ADHD. It makes my brain "quieter" and helps me with impulsiveness, anxiety, and emotional regulation.
Propranolol ER: a beta blocker that helps with anxiety and tamps down the somatic effects of anxiety and panic. SSRIs work great for my anxiety but they blunt my emotions. I'm working with my therapist on consistently feeling my emotions (I tend to repress, then have massive anxiety instead), so that's a no-go.
Bupropion XL: Originally I took this as an SSRI alternative for seasonal depression, but it's great for ADHD! It helps a lot with motivation and impulsivity.
Let me know if you have any questions on this or anything else. Just know you're always welcome, even encouraged, to bug the shit out of me if I don't get back to you in a timely fashion.
Controlled opposition! I don't think all Democratic politicians are in on it, but enough where it doesn't matter. I've watched just the right number fold time after time on key issues for decades.
None are up for reelection in 2026. I'm certain that's no coincidence.
As a teen, I worked at a local sub sandwich joint. It wasn't uncommon to get requests for mayonnaise and these sandwiches got a bit on the top bun. Requests for extra mayo got a smear on the top and bottom buns. A rare few customers insisted on extra extra extra mayonnaise. Ludicrous volumes of mayo. I always asked them if they were sure, informing them it was going to be a lot, probably too much. Informed consent and all. I made something special for these misguided souls: the mayo trough.
They'd get the standard extra mayo smear on the bottom bun, but the top bun was where the magic happened. I'd press a concavity into the inside of the bun, completely fill it in with mayonnaise (a foot long sandwich took about 1/3 cup), then gently nestle it atop the fillings. When they'd bite into their sandwich, they were rewarded for their foolishness by it spurting mayonnaise and other condiments everywhere, like a culinary Peter North unloading into a roast beef sandwich.
Probably, but it's the good ol' cost-benefit analysis. It'll survive so much longer than if it wasn't protected at at all, but the next-level fire protection that would increases its chances is really expensive.
The biggest initial issue for many is that it's pretty sedating, but that lessens with time. I slept like the dead for the first three weeks as baclofen is one of the few drugs that increases the frequency and duration of deep sleep. Now I can take 100 milligrams in a day and not feel a thing. I have literally no side effects.
One downside is sudden cessation is hell. If I miss an entire day, my anxiety gradually increases until it's through the roof until I start taking it again. Two days results in gradually increasing visual hallucinations. All of this completely reverses within an hour of taking a dose. You must taper off this stuff, but doing it isn't hard at all. Just don't go cold turkey.
It's also a medication that people tend not to grow resistant to. It hasn't lost any effectiveness for me despite having taken 60-80mg/day for almost two decades.
I used to have constant burning throat pain and the taste of stomach contents. Not anymore!
It reduces the frequency of transient lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation and increases its resting tone. Here's a relevant paper for anyone interested:
You'd need a ton of silica gel, pounds of it, to capture steam as fast as it is generated. Your best bet would be a water tight, temperature resistant container like silicone bags for documents. I'd recommend a properly fireproof safe (read: $$$) or planning for potential losses for anything larger.
Some people just want to watch the world burn.