h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

>> If only I could sleep.. <<

They have recently identified a sleep disorder among
the visually impaired - a disruption of their normal
circadian rhythm caused by a lack of awareness of the
day/night light/darkness pattern that triggers autonomic
sleep cycles in normally sighted people.

They call the syndrome Non-24. And there is new treatment.


I have often posted about melatonin, a natural hormone
secreted by the pineal gland that is triggered by dusky reds
and eradicated by the blue spectrum in the light of dawn.
This blue spectrum is of course present in any white light
so people should be aware of bright white lights in the loo
and refrigerator when they wander about at night. Melatonin
is available over the counter at most pharmacies. Do not over-
medicate because it has the nasty habit of increasing the also
natural neuro-toxin that is released during deep sleep which
actually paralises muscles - an autonomic and totally subconcious
defense mechanism that prevents a sleeping body from moving
when sleeping senses perceive motion or noise in their proximity.
The idea is to not make any noise that would attract a predator.
This neurotoxin is what causes those dreams where we can't run
and we seem to have feet of clay and are frozen in place.


~jwf~

>>The idea is to not make any noise that would attract a predator. <<

So why do we snore?

Who's this "we"?

I think it is permissible for me to say that Goo, Alabaster and Brunel are phoenixes. They will rise again from the ashes of Ripley, and attach themselves to your face.

Just kidding. They have to be reconfigured artistically and technically for Pliny. This takes time, and you all know that bugs come first. And that we are volunteers.


I have never been properly introduced to Hoovooloo, but those posts that I saw seem to show intelligence and a rather mordant sense of humor. And he seems aloof -- never came to any of my parties, anyway. I hope he gives us another chance.

You have parties?

You have to be properly introduced?

It was remiss of me not to say how much longer I would continue to use this site so to rectify that oversight here's when that could occur:-

1/ I fly to the Moon with the Queen.

2/ I'm told exactly how many grains of sand there are in the Sahara Desert.

3/ We find friendly on.

I think that covers it.

I may have to think about something like that... I'm just a bit reluctant to medicate for soemthing that is meant to be as natural as sleeping I do find my sleeping gets a bit better when we actually have daylight, about during the day; really nice bright sunshine.... which we've not really had much of here, the past couple weeks actually managed to sleep a few hours last night although its still taking the strong morning coffee to regain some sembelence of coordination

Since it apparently matters to you, allow me to introduce myself: I'm Mr. X. I'm from America. I get annoyed when people insist on calling us United Statesians instead of Americans, which is kind of ironic because I (briefly) used to do the same thing.

I have extensive knowledge and interest in history, science-fiction, fantasy, mythology, video games, children's trading cards, Dungeons and Dragons, wilderness survival, tactical and strategic thinking, international politics, storytelling, theater, Shakespeare, acting, filmmaking, writing, and... um... probably some other things that I'm forgetting.

Also, I know how to cook. Which isn't as impressive as some people think it is.

And yourself?

I just tried to buy drugs. Its officially harder for me to buy melatonin than it is cocaine, hoeriin and hashish... typical so I didn't buy any... ; apparently its prescription only (here in the UK), malatonin, that is, so I'd have to see me gp or soemthing if I wanted/thought I needed some... which maybe I do... I shall go off and research though... I've kinda tried all the other stuff to make me sleep, tiring myself out physically, mentally etc... and the melatonin would kinda make sense, I think, as often I find my body just doesn't think a day is 24 hours long... which would kinda fit into that now I'm tired, of course, as its daytime, but I'd not be able to sleep if I tried, so I'll get nothing at all done all day, then wake up a bit now, in about 12 hours or so, at 1 or 2 am. then not be able to sleep until gone 4 AM I guess... I woke this morning the first time at 6, after falling asleep some time after 4, though I did then fall back to sleep, for an hour or so before getting up at 9 ... feeling supprisingly wide awake today, compaired to yesterday though

>> So why do we snore? <<

Eggsellent question!

Fact is, when the subconscious sleeping brain
hears or senses intrusion (a predator response)
it secretes a neurotoxin that paralises all our
muscles including breathing to prevent us making
any noise that would reveal our presence.

It even stops our breathing (snoring). This is
called sleep apnea and it can last for several
seconds - up to a minute or more - hopefully
long enough for the perceived predator to pass.

Then the sleeper is jarred awake gasping for air.

All sorts or curative treatments including nasal
strips, jaw suppressors and pharmaceuticals are
offered for those who are constantly stressed by
this jolting awake-fullness and becoming sleep-
deprived by a subsequent adrenalin rush of panic.

Researchers are only now realising the cause is more
of an environmental issue and anyone suffering from
sleep apnea should carefully examine conditions around
them - traffic, pets, weather, lighting, clocks, etc - and
try to find or create a calmer sleeping arrangement.
Divorce is often quite therapeutic.


~jwf~

"Divorce is often quite therapeutic."

Solves many a problem (so i'm told)

Speaking of Hoovooloo...
If he does re-appear with a new ID
I intend to copy and paste some quotes
of his in which he cruelly pounced on quite
a few newbies and drove them away with his
arrogance and unkind ad hominems. He was
the Dark Ace.

Time and time again he picked on newbies
for being unaware of cherished protocols,
like a jealous papa bear eating his young.

I don't know how he was allowed to get away
with it, except that the newbies, being new,
had not established any rapport with regulars
and never had a chance to gain sympathy.

It was usually people I had just begun to enjoy
and appreciate - Spacious and CASSEROLEON
spring to mind. His recent attack on Spacious
was uncommonly cruel even for the totally self
ab-SoRB-ed.


~jwf~

I actually seem to sleep better wehn I'm sharing a bed with William, rahter than sleeping on my own.
My 'sleeping set up' at home, in my house is terrible. But I can't do much about it, unless I go vandelise the cinnama up the road, and all the lighting which makes nighttime here, useually brighter than daytime (yes, we sometimes get the birds doing a dawn chorus in the middle of the light due to the street lighting being so bright) I can't do much either about the noise in the house; I can hear the boiler, if its on; I can hear the fridge, downstairs in the kitchen, and I can hear the 'lighting' if the lights are on downstairs.... then there are the cars outside and vans during the night, bird song, etc... <sleepy. quite possibly considering a nap now... though if I do I'll likely not sleep, and nothing at all will have gotten donw today, and I'll just be less likely to sleep tonight... I guess I'll not feel as tired as I do now, of course, come 2 or 3 AM

Someone mentioned profiteroles?

Really, I have the best of intentions regarding reading more articles in peer review, submitting more of my own articles, etc. I have a couple of entries that I wrote more than ten years ago but never submitted.

On the other hand, as long as I haven't finished my work here, I have to keep coming back, don't I?

"I don't know how he was allowed to get away
with it," (jwf)

me neither. But when seeing the affection some people showed to his "clever comments" on religious people or on womens... well, that tells everything.

I don´t think it´s "clever" to make generalizations on religious people. That kind of comments only show a deep ignorance.

Another example of his great clever comments is related to economics/politics, where he shows a quite conservative mindset: people have what they deserve. He doesn´t consider the context, never.

Ok, I think I´ve contributed enougth to Hoo´s aim: to be talked about, not matter how.

Mr. X, very pleased to meet you. I'm in New Mexico, incarcerated in a nursing home where I suffer the food and try to ignore a major disability. I lived in England for a number of years, but those years happened several decades ago.

The atelier has parties now and then, when we can be arsed to fire up the virtual grill. They go on until everyone has wandered off and stopped posting.

There is a sense in which every thread at h2g2 is a party, though, innit..

any pifiteroles left?

The profiteroles are a lie.

*bursts into tears* say it ain't so?