Fatty Fat McFatbutt, American

Americans face drop in life expectancy - Some claim obesity will cut years off US lives by the 2050s.

As my mother said in her e-mail when she forwarded this to me, "Well, that'll take care of the Social Security deficit."

For the first time in recent history, researchers are predicting that the life expectancy of Americans may begin a sustained decline.

The forecast is based on the sharp rise in obesity in today's youth. By the middle of this century, the increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer that they will face could lessen the average life expectancy by two to five years, some say.

In general, longevity predictions are determined by studying historical trends in death rates. Various agencies, such as the US Social Security Administration (SSA), have used this method to predict that the life expectancy of Americans will continue to rise over the next century.

But Jay Olshansky, a biodemographer at the University of Illinois at Chicago, argues that they ignore the effect of obesity on future generations.

My favorite part of this article is the picture of the fat kid with the spikey hair and red shirt staring with unsurpressed gleeful anticipation at something that looks like it has as many fat calories in it as his body has fat cells.

Wrap-around sunglasses for the pooch

I was clicking away, as I do when I'm avoiding things, when I came across Doggles.

I've a dear friend, like a sister to me, whom I've known since we were in high school. She is a lesbian living in Southern California who is getting to that point that some people who don't expect to have children of their own do of treating her dogs like her children. She sends pictures of them to friends, family, and acquaintances as often as Lieutenant Colonel Hughes shows of pictures of his little girl on FullMetal Alchemist.

I want to get her Doggles for her three dogs. I think that would kick ass. I think they'd crack her up, which she needs while trying to work her way through the evils of being a screenwriter in L.A.

... I need a job, damn it.

Mein Gott im Himmel

I don't know whether I'm laughing at the extreme geekiness of this item or squealing like an extreme geek. In any case, I think someone I know needs to have a Darth Vader Sprinkler. I don't know who. But someone needs to "[l]et the Dark Side defend [their] lawn from the ravages of summer heat or cool [them] off on a hot day with this Darth Vader sprinkler!"

Oh. Oh no. "Standing 10" tall, this great new Vader sprinkler spins around with water spraying action, wielding his lightsaber in a furious battle to save your lawn!" I laugh. I cry. I've no idea how to cope with something this...what? Geeky? Ridiculous? Star Warsy? I especially love this picture, where it looks like Vader's fighting with himself while playing in the sprinkler.

Squee!

It's here! The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy :: The Official Movie Website. Am ridiculously excited over it. Which is stupid, as I know I'll be disappointed, but...Marvin's voice by Alan Rickman! Stephen Fry as The Book! That's so froody! And...ooh! Is that John Malkovich?

Random kitten generator

At first I thought posting a link to this site would prevent Maggie from ever doing another thing again besides clicking on kittens, requiring some sort of intervention by a deeply concerned and loving Ryan by mid-May. Then I realized it's actually a recruitment site for Maggie's Kitten Army, as the examples below show:

See? So very obviously a promotional shot of one of Maggie's army kittens in training.


This must be a photo illustrating their paw-to-paw combat training process.

I find myself mesmirized.


Transcript from when Sugar Kat found said site:

KITTEN! EEEE!

*clickitty*

SO! CUTE!

*clickitty*

GAH! EVEN MORE WITH THE CUTENESS!

*passes out from cute and furry sensory overload*

Bad badness abounds!

You really need to go check out this book description and its reviews on Amazon.com. If you want, you can even "preview" this example of vanity-press publication, which was culled from some guy's collected works of online fiction. Then, after reading the preview, you, too, can post about how gawdawful it is. Join in the fun!

That having been said, these nori snacks my friend Mitsuki-chan brought up from the City with her and then generously supplied me with kick all kinds of salty-goodness ass. Yum!

To blog or not to blog

I'm not sure why I haven't deleted this thing already. I have that other place I write. Those of you who want to read it, let me know.

Anyway, Things are getting absolutely crazy with school, and I'm not entirely certain I'm graduating. I know I won't have a job to go to if/when I do, which makes me so nervous and unhappy, I can't actually permit myself to think about it or I get physically ill.

I distract myself with reading manga, thinking about television shows, typing away in the other place I write, and now messing with pictures to make icons and banners and such. Which is stupid. I should be working on back work. But I can't focus, as I start thinking about the future and get scared sick and have to go lie down. So I do a little bit of work, then go do things like write this entry in this blog.

I'm an adult. Why can't I act like one?

At any rate, this is my attempt to keep this blog updated. Let me know if I should continue, will you?