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The Out Campaign: Scarlet Letter of Atheism

2010/01/17

Side effects

It's Sunday night, my wonderful spouse and I are watching the Golden Globe awards and I see a commercial for a bipolar disorder medicine. I will NOT mention the product here, I don't have the time or the money to fight the lawyers and all.
I'm listening absentmindedly (as is often my state on Sunday evenings) but I can't help hearing the side effects. The ad is in fact about 15 seconds long and the side effect another 15 seconds. 
Take a look, taken right from the product's web site: 
Side effects can include:
  • Headaches -- in up to 27 percent of people
  • A sedated feeling -- up to 23 percent
  • Agitation -- up to 19 percent
  • Insomnia -- up to 18 percent 
  • Fatigue -- up to 17 percent
  • Anxiety -- up to 17 percent
  • Drowsiness -- up to 16 percent
  • Nausea -- up to 15 percent
  • Vomiting -- up to 14 percent
  • Restlessness -- up to 12 percent
  • Constipation -- up to 11 percent.
Some other common side effects (occurring in 2 percent to 10 percent of people) included:
  • Dizziness
  • Indigestion or heartburn
  • Shakiness (tremors)
  • Weight gain 
  • Restlessness
  • Fatigue
  • Dry mouth
  • Joint pain
  • Throat pain
  • Blurred vision
  • Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
  • Pain
  • Cough
  • Nasal congestion
  • Increased salivation
  • Swelling or water retention in the arms, legs, or feet.
  • Large or rapid weight gain
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Dizziness or fainting when going from a sitting or lying-down position to standing
  • Feelings of internal restlessness or jitteriness
  • Any abnormal muscle movements (these movements can become permanent if xxx is not stopped quickly)
  • A painful erection of the penis that does not go away (priapism) (hang on, what's the problem here???)
  • Unexplained rash
  • Hives
  • Itching
  • Unexplained swelling
  • Wheezing
  • Difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Canker sores
  • Gallstones
  • Yeast infections
  • Arthritis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Kidney stones
  • Impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction  (so we can have a permanent erection (see above) or no erection at all - confusing)
  • An increased or decreased sex drive
  • Acne
  • Eczema
  • Hair loss
  • Varicose veins.
  • Anemia
  • Vertigo (a spinning sensation)
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Low thyroid (hypothyroidism) or high thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
And not mentioned on the site but spoken on TV : ".. and death"

AND DEATH????
Holly shit Batman, I don't suffer from bipolar disorder but I think I'd rather be bipolar than risking the above. 

Comments anyone?

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

Check out this SlideShare Presentation. Steve Jobs a man who went after his dreams.

2010/01/13

Cynical Project Mamangement tips

This is a guest post from Michael Krigsman of TechRepublic’s sister site ZDNet. You can follow Michael on his ZDNet blog IT Project Failures, or subscribe to the RSS feed.
1. PROJECTS WITH REALISTIC BUDGETS AND TIMETABLES DON’T GET APPROVED.
2. THE MORE DESPERATE THE SITUATION THE MORE OPTIMISTIC THE PROGRESS REPORT.
3. A USER IS SOMEBODY WHO REJECTS THE SYSTEM BECAUSE IT’S WHAT HE ASKED FOR.
4. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROJECT SUCCESS AND FAILURE IS A GOOD PR COMPANY.
5. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PERSON WHO DOESN’T HAVE TO DO IT.
6. EVERY FAILING, OVERLY AMBITIOUS PROJECT, HAS AT ITS HEART A SERIES OF SUCCESSFUL SMALL ONES TRYING TO ESCAPE.
7. A FREEZE ON CHANGE MELTS WHENEVER HEAT IS APPLIED.
8. YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT I SAID, NOT WHAT I MEANT.
9. IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING, JUST TALK ABOUT SPECIFICS.
10. IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, RENAME THE PROJECT.
11. EVERYONE WANTS A STRONG PROJECT MANAGER - UNTIL THEY GET HIM. – (I LOVE THIS ONE!!!)
12. ONLY IDIOTS OWN UP TO WHAT THEY REALLY KNOW.
13. THE WORST PROJECT MANAGERS SLEEP AT NIGHT.
14. A FAILING PROJECT HAS BENEFITS WHICH ARE ALWAYS SPOKEN OF IN THE FUTURE TENSE.
15. PROJECTS DON’T FAIL IN THE END; THEY FAIL AT CONCEPTION.
16. VISIONS ARE USUALLY TREATABLE.
17. OVERLY AMBITIOUS PROJECTS CAN NEVER FAIL IF THEY HAVE A BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND NO END.
18. MOST COMPANIES DON’T PUNISH ERROR, ONLY ITS DISCLOSURE.
19. THE MOST DIFFICULT WAY IS, IN THE LONG RUN, THE EASIEST.
20. A REALIST IS ONE WHO’S PRESCIENTLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE FUTURE.