Glad I Found This ONLINE!

WASHINGTON – The Internet is where we spend more and more of our time. But for a growing number of people, it’s an out-of-control habit instead of a necessary part of life.

Internet addiction -- an online-related compulsive behavior that interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones and work -- is a psychological and behavioral problem that is spreading around the world, experts say.

Kimberly Young, clinical director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and author of the book “Caught in the Net,” said that about 5 percent to 10 percent of Americans --15 to 30 million people -- may suffer from Internet addiction. And the problem may be even greater elsewhere. Young said 18 to 30 percent of the populations of China, Korea and Taiwan, where the Internet is even more popular than in the U.S., may be addicted.

"I’ve seen a lot of growth in the field of Internet addiction,” said Young. “More research and studies (are) trying to understand it better. … It’s a global problem.”

The main types of Internet addiction are cybersex, online affairs, online gambling, online gaming, compulsive surfing and even eBay addiction, Young added.

An article by Dr. Jerald J. Block in the March issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry stated that “Internet addiction appears to be a common disorder.”

Centers specializing in Internet addiction have been created to offer treatment.

Coleen Moore, coordinator of resource development at the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, said she has clients from college age to early adulthood who spend 14 to 18 hours a day online.

But Young noted that it’s not just how long people spend using a computer, it’s what they’re doing online.

“A lot of people can use the Internet, like alcohol, and not be addicted, but when they lose the control, [then] it becomes an issue,” she said. “You’re not looking at how much time do you spend online but at the quality of how that is affecting your life.”

To help people with their diagnosis, Young developed a test that uses a 20-question survey to measure levels of Internet addiction.

“There are no real drugs for this yet,” she said. “It’s not about medication, it’s more about therapy.”

The estimated recovery time varies.

At the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, some patients need 30 to 90 days in-patient treatment, followed by a continuing care program.

But Internet addiction recovery, as any other addiction, requires lifelong treatment, experts said.

“This [problem] can reactive itself any time if the person does not keep working on the recovery,” said Moore. “We see recovery as a lifelong endeavor.”

In addition to private treatment centers, nonprofit organizations like Gamblers Anonymous, Kickporn.com, Online Gamers Anonymous and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous were created to help addicts.

Online gaming is the form of Internet addiction that is rapidly growing among young people.

“Initially we primarily had people addicted to surfing the Web, chat rooms, virtual communities and things like that. Now we are looking more to gaming,” Moore said.

Brian Robbins, of the entertainment agency Fuel Industries Inc. and a member of the International Game Developers Association, said there’s been a big increase in the number of people playing video games online.

“The vast majority of the Web-based games, … probably 90 to 95 percent, are free to play,” said Robbins.

San Francisco-based Zynga.com offers a huge variety of free games online through Facebook, one of the most popular social networking Web sites. Poker and blackjack are the most popular games, with more than 12 million and 4 million registered players, respectively, according to its Web site.

“Gaming is certainly one of the things that could get people addicted to the Internet because it’s such a compelling content…,” said Robbins. “But I don’t think games are any more susceptible to Internet addiction than any of the other forms of entertainment.”

The Most Famous Oval in the World

I got to go to the INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. 400,000 NASCAR fans couldn't be wrong. Luckily we had a police escort.
And they brought beer.

Guns

Gun Scare Prank

Reading Glasses

I bought some $9.99 reading glasses at the grocery store tonight. They are only +1.00 magnification but I think they might help for close up viewing. I know they are not tremendously fashionable. What do you want for ten bucks? Armani?

Diced Ham Smoothie

All the protein and none of the pesky fruits & vegetables! Delicious.

This may explain...

...the amount of shootings here. This is an actual local commercial. Indeed.

Biscuit @ Work

This is from early this AM. Caught on the local news.

Andy Dick Arrested - Surprised?

Comedian and actor Andy Dick was arrested today on suspicion of drug possession and sexual battery after police were called to a disturbance outside a restaurant in Murrieta.

Police said they arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings on Murrieta Hot Springs Road at about 1:15 a.m. after receiving reports of an intoxicated man urinating outside. They stopped a truck that was leaving the scene and Dick was in the front seat.

According to Murrieta Police Lt. Dennis Vrooman, a 17-year-old girl said 42-year-old Dick had left the restaurant, walked up to her and pulled down her tank top, exposing her breasts. His friends escorted him to the truck, which was then stopped by police near a Sam's Club store.

Officers lined up the men in the truck along a curb, and the alleged victim and another witness picked out Dick as the assailant.

Vrooman said Dick was "extremely intoxicated" and that police found marijuana and antianxiety Xanax medication in his pockets.

He was booked into the Southwest Detention Center on $5,000 bail.
Andy's mugshot reminded me of another celebrity mugshot. They look related.

Indy Apartment

This is the view from my balcony. It looks south toward the city center.
Here is a shot of the living room. I do most of my work on the computer while channel surfing from the couch. Surprise!

I'm on the 25th floor which is nice. The building is located half a block from a huge Fire / Ambulance Station which is not so nice.

Nice Spoof

INDY Blogging

I usually start a new blog for each city I visit. But I figure that I'll just continue posting here. I don't know who even reads this thing...probably 3 people. To those of you who check in I hope you find some good stuff here in the coming months. Let the games begin.

My Indy Apartment

I just moved in to an apartment in downtown Indianapolis. I'm on the 25th floor of the Riley Towers. I have a nice view looking south toward the center of town and, oddly enough, the police HQ.

Let Me Recommend...

Would you trust this guy to choose your wine?

Employee Evaluations

Time for Employee Evaluations? These are actual supervisor quotes taken from employee performance evaluations:

1. "Since my last report this employee has reached rock bottom and started
to dig."

2. "I would not allow this employee to breed."

3. "This employee is really not much of a has-been, but more of a definite
won't be."

4. "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a
trap."

5. "When she opens her mouth it seems it is only to change feet."

6. "He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle."

7. "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."

8. "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve
them."

9. "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

10. "This employee should go far, the sooner he starts the better."

11. "Got a full six pack but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all
together."

12. "A gross ignoramus --- 144 time worse than an ordinary ignoramus."

13. "He doesn't have ulcers but he is a carrier."

14. "I would like to go hunting with him sometime."

15. "He's been working with glue too much."

16. "He would argue with a signpost."

17. "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room."

18. "When his IQ reaches 50 he should sell."

19. "If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he is the other
one."

20. "A photographic memory but with the lens cap glued on."

21. "A prime candidate for natural de-selection."

22. "Donated his brain to science before he was done using it."

23. "Gates are down, lights are flashing but the train isn't coming."

24. "He's got two brains, one is lost and the other is out looking for it."

25. "If he were any more stupid he'd have to be watered twice a week."

26. "If you gave him a penny for his thoughts you would get change."

27. "If you stand close enough to him you can hear the ocean."

28. "It's hard to believe that he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm."

29. "One neuron short of a synapse."

30. "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge, he only gargled."

31. "It takes him 2 hours to watch 60 Minutes."

Happy 4th

July 4th 1776 was an important day for the USA. I'm afraid we have forgotten the significance of that day in that year. The HBO series John Adams based on the book by David McCullough was a very good look in to that time.