marchdecember

Remember how kids with Asperger's LOVE Pokémon? Well, it turns out there's probably a reason.

Echoing Asperger, the director of the clinic in San Jose where I met Nick, Michelle Garcia Winner, suggests that "Pokémon must have been invented by a team of Japanese engineers with Asperger."

Well, it turns out Ms. Winner is correct. The creator of Pokémon, Satoshi Tajiri, has indeed been diagnosed with Asperger's.

Crazy. A few people with Asperger's Syndrome indeed list Pokémon as an obsession of theirs. Others list obsessions like license plates, zip codes, maps, stuff like that. These people are AWESOME! They'd never accept me in their social circle, but still!

Also of interest: apparently many people with Asperger's don't feel like they act their age. They feel like their social age is considerably younger than their actual physical age. So Cerberus is in good company, I suppose.

Apparently there is something wrong with my eyes.

I've always had a dominant eye. I thought it was just normal.

As of yesterday I've stopped drinking caffeine. I am addicted to Pepsi, and the caffeine can cause agitation in me. I was really agitated on Saturday, and I had a lot of caffeine. So I'm going to go without. It turns out this stuff is really bad for you.

Yesterday, Jennifer bought me Caffeine-Free Pepsi. It takes almost exactly like regular Pepsi... to be honest maybe slightly better. It turns out in blind taste tests most people can't tell a difference. So why is it there? Can you think of a reason?

Today I'm getting a bad headache, which they say is a form of caffeine withdrawal. Great. I just wanted to let you all know. Cool.

UPDATE: 4:40PM
Well, I made it until now. But my head was hurting so bad and I was becoming so cranky that I gave up. I'm sorry. I'm a bad, bad person.

Consumerist reports on the scum debt collectors who will cheat, swear, steal and lie to get your money. This time they directed their idiotic lies towards a bi-polar woman who decided the only way out of debt was to take herself out of this world.

Debt collectors working in-house for Discovery (thereby saving Discover from FDCPA claims), allegedly threated Ms. MacDermid with (among other things) jail time, going so far as to make up a relationship with the local prosecutor's office. Here is what they said, according to the decision:

* had spoken with a lady named "Harriott" who had told her that, under the facts described above, Mr. MacDermid is legally liable for his wife's charge card; and
* that she had filed a report with the Giles County Sheriff's office; and
* that Harriott Barkly of the Giles County District Attorney's office, advised her that because the MacDermids were married, and because Mr. MacDermid was aware of his wife's problem, he "should keep a better eye on her" and should "keep her away from the internet"; and
* [that Adonica Gilmore stated about Mrs. MacDermid,] "I don't think you want her going . . . well you know"; and
* that there was no need for him to talk to a lawyer, because, even though there was no signature, and it was procured on the Internet, Mrs. MacDermid's application is binding on Mr. MacDermid, and he is definitely liable; and
* that [Adonica Gilmore stated], if the matter could not be resolved, "I'll just call Harriott" . . . and have the authorities "take a little trip out to your house."

These lies convinced Ms. MacDermid she had no choice but to take her life to save her husband from the debt she racked up.

Way to go Discover! Your fantastic treatment of mentally ill people has ensured that I and many others will never use your products.