Friday, December 31, 2004
Great site on excitotoxicity and neurological inflammation. I learned a lot. Are you a Type O blood type and intelligent? If so, you are more prone to glutathione depletion than others and, therefore, more susceptible to autistic behaviors and/or mood problems among things. I think this goes beyond autism. Some foot shock stress, anyone? (scroll to the bottom). Don't bother looking into Immunocal; just take NAC (best price I could find). It really f*#$ing works in increasing brain and body cellular energy production.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Today's Common Sense eletter
JunkScience.com just published this year's list of Top Ten most embarrassing moments. Top stories show how far off some claims to science can be:
* Polar bears, we were told, face extinction because of global warming. The report claiming this ignored the cyclical nature of warming and cooling in the Arctic. And the inconvenient fact that polar bear populations have increased, rather than decreased, during the recent warming.
* A leading scientist successfully plugged stem cell research to California voters. The research, however, may by no means be the most promising avenue to achieve good results. But it was certainly the most promising way for said scientist's company to make millions off of taxpayers.
* Four years ago, those in charge of public water in Washington, D.C. stopped using chlorine. They abandoned the world's most effective disinfectant for something more expensive and less effective. Why? An undocumented fear that chlorine causes cancer. Unfortunately, the substitute was more corrosive. So, this year? Increased levels of lead -- in the water, from pipe corrosion.
Obviously, too much of what activists and even scientists publicly claim as science isn't science. It's the romance of science wrapped up in a good story, about impending catastrophe (if at all possible). But, says JunkScience.com publisher Steven Milloy, "all too often, the media simply repeat such claims verbatim."
Well, let's you and me honor science by remaining skeptical, by not believing everything we read.
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JunkScience.com just published this year's list of Top Ten most embarrassing moments. Top stories show how far off some claims to science can be:
* Polar bears, we were told, face extinction because of global warming. The report claiming this ignored the cyclical nature of warming and cooling in the Arctic. And the inconvenient fact that polar bear populations have increased, rather than decreased, during the recent warming.
* A leading scientist successfully plugged stem cell research to California voters. The research, however, may by no means be the most promising avenue to achieve good results. But it was certainly the most promising way for said scientist's company to make millions off of taxpayers.
* Four years ago, those in charge of public water in Washington, D.C. stopped using chlorine. They abandoned the world's most effective disinfectant for something more expensive and less effective. Why? An undocumented fear that chlorine causes cancer. Unfortunately, the substitute was more corrosive. So, this year? Increased levels of lead -- in the water, from pipe corrosion.
Obviously, too much of what activists and even scientists publicly claim as science isn't science. It's the romance of science wrapped up in a good story, about impending catastrophe (if at all possible). But, says JunkScience.com publisher Steven Milloy, "all too often, the media simply repeat such claims verbatim."
Well, let's you and me honor science by remaining skeptical, by not believing everything we read.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
The Traveler's Prayer
We thank thee dear Lord for our safe arrival at our hotel in Bali.
Please bless those tens of thousands we scared the shit out of along the way!
-John McMillian
Bali, Indonesia 2004
This "prayer" was printed, framed, and presented to my dad last night by his close Mormon friend Hal Jensen. Apparently, my dad had said that after Hal's disastrously swervy driving performance a few months ago. At first, when I heard something about him saying a prayer, I was worried he was becoming all religious like them. But by the time I was done reading it...relief. It was just his characteristic smartass humor, so I could relax. Obviously, religiosity and humor are not mutually exclusive, but still.
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We thank thee dear Lord for our safe arrival at our hotel in Bali.
Please bless those tens of thousands we scared the shit out of along the way!
-John McMillian
Bali, Indonesia 2004
This "prayer" was printed, framed, and presented to my dad last night by his close Mormon friend Hal Jensen. Apparently, my dad had said that after Hal's disastrously swervy driving performance a few months ago. At first, when I heard something about him saying a prayer, I was worried he was becoming all religious like them. But by the time I was done reading it...relief. It was just his characteristic smartass humor, so I could relax. Obviously, religiosity and humor are not mutually exclusive, but still.
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Saw Phantom of the Opera the movie for the second time today, since my parents wanted to see it with me. It made me cry...again. From the scene when she takes his hand and walks through the mirror and onward, I'm a wreck. The music has haunted me ever since the age of 7. I almost forgot that my teacher was the on-set voice coach. Nice work, Ron. I appreciated the casting as well, whoever did that. Andrew Lloyd Weber, the original writer/composer of the musical, produced the film, which explains its loyalty to the original show in almost every detail. I'm sure he was glad to have had more logistical freedom with the scenes in this medium.
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Saturday, December 25, 2004
Friday, December 24, 2004
Some interesting points in my book about Thomas Jefferson called Diagnosing Jefferson: This book makes a strong case for Jefferson having had Asperger Syndrome based on his social interactions, lifestyle, beliefs, and political notions. I won't go into the details of the numerous confirmed behaviors, but the anecdotes do come together convincingly. His idealism was closely linked to Saxon historical folklore, which was excised from the Declaration of Independence much to his chagrin, but the heroic spirit remains in the document. As Temple Grandin says, high functioning autistics tend not to deviate from a certain mental track once it has been established, so the refutement of this folklore had no effect on his conviction. His relationship with slave Sally Hemings and his inability to follow the formally accepted lifestyle of his time in Virgina most likely influenced his emphasis on the freedoms that ought to be granted to all American citizens (i.e.:"it does me no injury for my neighbor to say that there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."). Prior to that, his first wife pleaded that he not remarry after her death, so he stuck to his word and chose the next most comfortable path of female companionship. And let us not forget that Aspies tend to seek companionship of those with similar (but not necessarily identical) problems; Sally and Thomas shared a mutual sense of social deviation from the accepted norm, him with autistic habits and her being part-black. He spent several years in France so that he could legally have a romantic relationship with a woman of African descent, if even one-quarter. Sally hardly had an interest in obtaining her freedom from slavery upon their return to the U.S., but she made him promise to grant their future children freedom. Of course, Thomas paid his slaves ("servants") for their work so they weren't really treated as slaves.
Here's an excerpt I found particularly amusing and enlightening:
"To put it simply, [high-functioning autistics] live mentally and perhaps emotionally on two planes. They live in our world of nonautistics, but they carry with them a separate and otherworldly 'reality' - their reality. ...[They] operate in several respects on two planes, ours and theirs, often more successfully when they can remain on theirs. In order to understand Jefferson's inner adjustment over the affair when he returned to the United States in 1789, we must also understand how strategic is that second available plane, how vital to autistics is the quality of their self-isolation over social discomforts, and how essential that withdrawal becomes to escape pressures the rest of us bring to bear on them."
"[The biographer Joseph J. Ellis, author of American Sphinx,] wrote that Jefferson was capable of creating inside himself 'separate lines of communication' that would sort conflicting signals...On the one hand there was reality as you and I know it, and on the other hand there was a Jefferson reality which the rest of us tend to see as idealism. Jefferson could shut out the first as though it did not exist and maintain the second as though he were Elwood P. Dowd escorting, as his friend, the giant white rabbit named Harvey. The two levels are common to person with high-functioning autism, and they deal with those separate realities daily in ways not yet clear to nonautistics."
Umm, John? Maybe you have a point I took for granted.
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Here's an excerpt I found particularly amusing and enlightening:
"To put it simply, [high-functioning autistics] live mentally and perhaps emotionally on two planes. They live in our world of nonautistics, but they carry with them a separate and otherworldly 'reality' - their reality. ...[They] operate in several respects on two planes, ours and theirs, often more successfully when they can remain on theirs. In order to understand Jefferson's inner adjustment over the affair when he returned to the United States in 1789, we must also understand how strategic is that second available plane, how vital to autistics is the quality of their self-isolation over social discomforts, and how essential that withdrawal becomes to escape pressures the rest of us bring to bear on them."
"[The biographer Joseph J. Ellis, author of American Sphinx,] wrote that Jefferson was capable of creating inside himself 'separate lines of communication' that would sort conflicting signals...On the one hand there was reality as you and I know it, and on the other hand there was a Jefferson reality which the rest of us tend to see as idealism. Jefferson could shut out the first as though it did not exist and maintain the second as though he were Elwood P. Dowd escorting, as his friend, the giant white rabbit named Harvey. The two levels are common to person with high-functioning autism, and they deal with those separate realities daily in ways not yet clear to nonautistics."
Umm, John? Maybe you have a point I took for granted.
Sunday, December 19, 2004
So I'm walking down the upstairs hall to get to my apartment and, from the other side just past my door, some random guy says, "Hi, how are you?" in a sickenly sweet, friendly manner. I immediately knew something was up. Guess what organization he was with? The Sierra Dimwits, er, I mean Club. I decided to kill him with kindness and told him, "I'm actually not interested, but I wish you the best of luck with your endeavors," in the sweetest voice possible. Obviously, it worked because he thanked me cordially and let me enter my apartment without further discussion.
It doesn't help to argue with these people. That only wastes more time, and they aren't worth it. They aren't going to listen anyway and will keep trying to defend themselves. Aside from their extreme lefty ridiculousness, I remembered that they were opposed to the building of the Alaskan natural gas pipeline during the energy crisis in the '70's. They even tried to lobby against acceptance of the construction plan that was the most environmentally friendly. What are you going to do, let the country run down while you look on proudly, thinking you've done the right thing for the ecosystem? Fortunately, the Carter administration accepted a plan drafted by a company called Northwest Pipeline - one run by a certain "hardcore rockstar" I know.
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It doesn't help to argue with these people. That only wastes more time, and they aren't worth it. They aren't going to listen anyway and will keep trying to defend themselves. Aside from their extreme lefty ridiculousness, I remembered that they were opposed to the building of the Alaskan natural gas pipeline during the energy crisis in the '70's. They even tried to lobby against acceptance of the construction plan that was the most environmentally friendly. What are you going to do, let the country run down while you look on proudly, thinking you've done the right thing for the ecosystem? Fortunately, the Carter administration accepted a plan drafted by a company called Northwest Pipeline - one run by a certain "hardcore rockstar" I know.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Have any of you Aspies out there (Franky, Ojmalm, etc.) who read this had problems with phosphates in certain substances you consume? These include lecithin (a source of phospholipids), choline, phosphatidylcholine, inositol, and phosphatidylinositol.
I found a study showing that disequilibrium in phosphatidylinositol signalling is responsible for autistic traits. I keep having problems with certain supplements to later find out it contains one of the above-mentioned substances and was wondering if others have undergone the same effects so I can see if the study corroborates my experiences. (It doesn't mention physical reactions.) My head starts flushing, and I can't concentrate. I keep having to switch my source of phytoestrogens because whole sources tend to contain the offending substances (red clover, soy extract). Now, I'm using pure isoflavones. Damn, having Asperger with estrogen dominance at the same time is difficult. Wondering if the incompatibility is due to genetic mixing. (Mom w/estrogen and Dad w/Asperger when separate are fine. Mom + Dad = Me with problems + special insights that neither have. Well, the mix is worth it nonetheless, since it encourages me to learn about biology and human nature. I'm extremely close to having everything figured out and all problems solved.)
God, I'm a dork.
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I found a study showing that disequilibrium in phosphatidylinositol signalling is responsible for autistic traits. I keep having problems with certain supplements to later find out it contains one of the above-mentioned substances and was wondering if others have undergone the same effects so I can see if the study corroborates my experiences. (It doesn't mention physical reactions.) My head starts flushing, and I can't concentrate. I keep having to switch my source of phytoestrogens because whole sources tend to contain the offending substances (red clover, soy extract). Now, I'm using pure isoflavones. Damn, having Asperger with estrogen dominance at the same time is difficult. Wondering if the incompatibility is due to genetic mixing. (Mom w/estrogen and Dad w/Asperger when separate are fine. Mom + Dad = Me with problems + special insights that neither have. Well, the mix is worth it nonetheless, since it encourages me to learn about biology and human nature. I'm extremely close to having everything figured out and all problems solved.)
God, I'm a dork.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
The things I see on TV while working out...
Dr. 90210: A few Middle Eastern women are having hymen restoration surgery so that their future husbands think they're virgins during marriage consummation sex (and so they won't be murdered by their fathers). Living in that type of society, I wouldn't need that surgery if I were married off by the age of 18. Right after turning 18, that is. (And as long as I had not previously been consuming Saw Palmetto extract, which I have also had to discontinue. Grr.)
CNN: 35% of Americans do not believe in evolution. Well, can all 65% of the rest really be creationists? What about that alien genetic engineering theory? I'm sure there is a very small subset who goes by that.
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Dr. 90210: A few Middle Eastern women are having hymen restoration surgery so that their future husbands think they're virgins during marriage consummation sex (and so they won't be murdered by their fathers). Living in that type of society, I wouldn't need that surgery if I were married off by the age of 18. Right after turning 18, that is. (And as long as I had not previously been consuming Saw Palmetto extract, which I have also had to discontinue. Grr.)
CNN: 35% of Americans do not believe in evolution. Well, can all 65% of the rest really be creationists? What about that alien genetic engineering theory? I'm sure there is a very small subset who goes by that.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Here's something for my computer geek friends to comment on.
GOVERNMENT’S ‘INTERNET2’ SEEN AS NEXT ‘NET BATTLEFIELD
Dec 10, 2004 - FreeMarketNews.com
by Chris Mack
FMNN Technology and New Media Correspondent
IPv6 – Internet2 - is so complicated it’s been compared to putting “a man on the moon.” While sources say it may be up to 10Xs faster than the current version – its static IP addresses could also allow constant tracking of users. And that’s troublesome, say privacy activists.
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SPECIAL TO FREE-MARKET NEWS NETWORK, DEC. 10 - You didn’t know the government was working on a “new’ Internet? Actually, it’s already being tested in the defense department and a number of universities, but it’s so thoroughly redesigned it might as well have been built from scratch. And it’s so complicated it has been compared to the effort to put a man on the moon.
It’s called variously “IPv6” (the current ‘Net protocol is known as IPv4), “Mission Moonv6” and “Internet2.” Details have long been available to the ‘Net community, but the status and use of the IPv6 protocol has not yet seemingly penetrated the general consciousness of the on-line population. That may change as wider implementation looms and various power players attempt to sort out their differences, and cement advantageous positions in advance of Internet2.
Mission Moonv6 – Ipv6 - is going to be sold to the public by virtue of its “bells and whistles,” its speed, ease of use and the availability of private computer identifiers - static Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, a kind of phone number available to each and every individual computer - that will vastly increase the possibility and practicality of customized ‘Net services.
Sounds good – but it’s this last point that causes trouble. The current Internet was not built with the idea of every machine in the world using static IP addresses. Most computers aren’t individually identifiable unless the user makes a special effort. In fact, businesses charge extra fees for consumers to use static IP addresses. All that will change with the next-generation Internet, which is being built so that each user can, and probably will, receive his or her own static IP address.
What are the ramifications of individual computer addresses? Basically, every single computer-based activity could be subject to surveillance. Cars with computers may be rendered immediately identifiable. Phone conversations running through the Internet – and most will do so sooner or later – should be available for timely surveillance. Email (of course), and also bill paying, banking, investing. …
In the brave, new world of IPv6, almost every single conceivable personal or financial activity could be rendered transparent to authorities and appropriate corporate personnel at the flick of a switch or the touch of a button.
Read the rest on: www.freemarketnews.com, scrolling down to Dec. 10
Is this all bull or a legitimate cause for concern?
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GOVERNMENT’S ‘INTERNET2’ SEEN AS NEXT ‘NET BATTLEFIELD
Dec 10, 2004 - FreeMarketNews.com
by Chris Mack
FMNN Technology and New Media Correspondent
IPv6 – Internet2 - is so complicated it’s been compared to putting “a man on the moon.” While sources say it may be up to 10Xs faster than the current version – its static IP addresses could also allow constant tracking of users. And that’s troublesome, say privacy activists.
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SPECIAL TO FREE-MARKET NEWS NETWORK, DEC. 10 - You didn’t know the government was working on a “new’ Internet? Actually, it’s already being tested in the defense department and a number of universities, but it’s so thoroughly redesigned it might as well have been built from scratch. And it’s so complicated it has been compared to the effort to put a man on the moon.
It’s called variously “IPv6” (the current ‘Net protocol is known as IPv4), “Mission Moonv6” and “Internet2.” Details have long been available to the ‘Net community, but the status and use of the IPv6 protocol has not yet seemingly penetrated the general consciousness of the on-line population. That may change as wider implementation looms and various power players attempt to sort out their differences, and cement advantageous positions in advance of Internet2.
Mission Moonv6 – Ipv6 - is going to be sold to the public by virtue of its “bells and whistles,” its speed, ease of use and the availability of private computer identifiers - static Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, a kind of phone number available to each and every individual computer - that will vastly increase the possibility and practicality of customized ‘Net services.
Sounds good – but it’s this last point that causes trouble. The current Internet was not built with the idea of every machine in the world using static IP addresses. Most computers aren’t individually identifiable unless the user makes a special effort. In fact, businesses charge extra fees for consumers to use static IP addresses. All that will change with the next-generation Internet, which is being built so that each user can, and probably will, receive his or her own static IP address.
What are the ramifications of individual computer addresses? Basically, every single computer-based activity could be subject to surveillance. Cars with computers may be rendered immediately identifiable. Phone conversations running through the Internet – and most will do so sooner or later – should be available for timely surveillance. Email (of course), and also bill paying, banking, investing. …
In the brave, new world of IPv6, almost every single conceivable personal or financial activity could be rendered transparent to authorities and appropriate corporate personnel at the flick of a switch or the touch of a button.
Read the rest on: www.freemarketnews.com, scrolling down to Dec. 10
Is this all bull or a legitimate cause for concern?
Apparently, I've made myself an unoffical member of the Gwen street team.
Newest video as of yesterday: Rich Girl (Or Windows Media)
There's a pirate theme to this one, which is fun, but most of her movements bother me.
As far as my singing, I received some great comments from my teacher yesterday. At one point, after doing some challenging exercises, he said "Very, very, very good, Laura. Only a couple girls in town can belt those high notes like you just did. Have you considered singing for commercials? You have the kind of voice they're looking for right now. The girls I teach who do this make half a million dollars a year and only work 14 days a year. It's all residuals. You just have to make a 30-45 second demo showcasing your singing in all different styles: rock, country, etc."
I'm up for it, in addition to doing my own music. Hell, why not, for that kind of pay and work schedule.
He also said I have an "amazing learning curve," since I'm "learning like crazy," and a "phenomenal muscle sense memory." Coming from him, that's extremely heartening. I had no idea how I compared to others. This is what internet searching has revealed about Ron:
Kylie Minogue's virus
Kylie's backstage oyster-eating, per Ron's suggestion
Enrique Iglesias flew him in
A student mentions his work with Billy Joel, Seal, Tori Amos, Björk, and Janet Jackson to Axl Rose, Chris Cornell, Maynard James Keenan, Scott Weiland
Esperanza (not familiar to me, but mentions his work with Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Candice (also not familiar)
Nita (also not familiar)
The man has some career. I had no idea who he was when I started and casually used a referral from the Senior VP of Virgin Records. Anyway, I'm trying to get my music demo done in time for deal-hunting season (February) at the record companies. Skot and his good friend Dick Smothers (offspring of one of the Smothers Brothers, who happens to be a great guitarist and vocalist) are going to help me, and I'm looking very forward to it. I'm a little nervous about the timeline too, though, since I'm leaving town for Christmas. Then, classes begin again in March. If I'm not done in time, school may need to be delayed further. This has become very important to me, but I still want to get my master of science degree.
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Newest video as of yesterday: Rich Girl (Or Windows Media)
There's a pirate theme to this one, which is fun, but most of her movements bother me.
As far as my singing, I received some great comments from my teacher yesterday. At one point, after doing some challenging exercises, he said "Very, very, very good, Laura. Only a couple girls in town can belt those high notes like you just did. Have you considered singing for commercials? You have the kind of voice they're looking for right now. The girls I teach who do this make half a million dollars a year and only work 14 days a year. It's all residuals. You just have to make a 30-45 second demo showcasing your singing in all different styles: rock, country, etc."
I'm up for it, in addition to doing my own music. Hell, why not, for that kind of pay and work schedule.
He also said I have an "amazing learning curve," since I'm "learning like crazy," and a "phenomenal muscle sense memory." Coming from him, that's extremely heartening. I had no idea how I compared to others. This is what internet searching has revealed about Ron:
Kylie Minogue's virus
Kylie's backstage oyster-eating, per Ron's suggestion
Enrique Iglesias flew him in
A student mentions his work with Billy Joel, Seal, Tori Amos, Björk, and Janet Jackson to Axl Rose, Chris Cornell, Maynard James Keenan, Scott Weiland
Esperanza (not familiar to me, but mentions his work with Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Candice (also not familiar)
Nita (also not familiar)
The man has some career. I had no idea who he was when I started and casually used a referral from the Senior VP of Virgin Records. Anyway, I'm trying to get my music demo done in time for deal-hunting season (February) at the record companies. Skot and his good friend Dick Smothers (offspring of one of the Smothers Brothers, who happens to be a great guitarist and vocalist) are going to help me, and I'm looking very forward to it. I'm a little nervous about the timeline too, though, since I'm leaving town for Christmas. Then, classes begin again in March. If I'm not done in time, school may need to be delayed further. This has become very important to me, but I still want to get my master of science degree.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Bored? Try your hand at the Bush Conspiracy Theory Generator. It will wipe that frown right off your face. (Well, if you aren't too liberal.)
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Today, I opened a Christmas card from my Dutch grandparents (Opa and Oma) in Sydney. Enclosed was a letter written by a small child. I immediately assumed it was written by a young family member.(Hint: Right-click and select View Image to see larger versions.)
No, that isn't another Laura from the family. That was mine! Damn, I was repetitious, and my handwriting sucked. At least the drawing of my grandfather wasn't too bad for a kid's drawing. She didn't specify exactly what year that was written, so I don't know how old I was. I'm guessing around 5.
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No, that isn't another Laura from the family. That was mine! Damn, I was repetitious, and my handwriting sucked. At least the drawing of my grandfather wasn't too bad for a kid's drawing. She didn't specify exactly what year that was written, so I don't know how old I was. I'm guessing around 5.
Herbs for Hormone Regulation
As of today, I am on:
Chaste berry extract - reduces prolactin levels, thereby raising progesterone levels and acting as a diuretic. Obviously, the less water retention, the better.
Red Clover blossoms - a phytoestrogen that occupies estrogen receptors, raising levels when too low and lowering levels when too high. It also has sedative properties. My reasoning in using this is to reduce brain fog and PMS symptoms as well as assist in curbing appetite. These phytoestrogens really help with that, as I can tell already. Also, lean, toned bodies are associated with high testosterone levels and low estrogen levels. I'm only concerned with the latter aspect, high estrogen having been holding me back, no matter how much exercise or dieting I did. I'm sick of being "average" and am intent on that Milla Jovovich look in Resident Evil 2. Mark my words, I will get there. After all, I had that look when I was 15. Doctors always complimented me on my "excellent muscle tone" while I didn't really do much for it at all.
Saw Palmetto extract - typically used to prevent prostate cancer in men, it inhibits the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, a testosterone metabolite that makes hair that would otherwise be more like peach fuzz turn into coarse, thick hair. It has been successfully used to treat hirsutism in women with high testosterone levels. I just don't want to have to keep shaving my legs every freakin day.
I must give these a good try for at least 6 weeks, unless they are ultimately stimulating. I don't think they are. This is science in the name of maximum sexiness.
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As of today, I am on:
Chaste berry extract - reduces prolactin levels, thereby raising progesterone levels and acting as a diuretic. Obviously, the less water retention, the better.
Red Clover blossoms - a phytoestrogen that occupies estrogen receptors, raising levels when too low and lowering levels when too high. It also has sedative properties. My reasoning in using this is to reduce brain fog and PMS symptoms as well as assist in curbing appetite. These phytoestrogens really help with that, as I can tell already. Also, lean, toned bodies are associated with high testosterone levels and low estrogen levels. I'm only concerned with the latter aspect, high estrogen having been holding me back, no matter how much exercise or dieting I did. I'm sick of being "average" and am intent on that Milla Jovovich look in Resident Evil 2. Mark my words, I will get there. After all, I had that look when I was 15. Doctors always complimented me on my "excellent muscle tone" while I didn't really do much for it at all.
Saw Palmetto extract - typically used to prevent prostate cancer in men, it inhibits the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, a testosterone metabolite that makes hair that would otherwise be more like peach fuzz turn into coarse, thick hair. It has been successfully used to treat hirsutism in women with high testosterone levels. I just don't want to have to keep shaving my legs every freakin day.
I must give these a good try for at least 6 weeks, unless they are ultimately stimulating. I don't think they are. This is science in the name of maximum sexiness.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Everybody needs to run, not walk, to see Pedro Almodovar's newest film Bad Education (La Mala Educacion). It's his twistiest best in years. Here's the trailer.
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Friday, December 10, 2004
After today's lesson, I asked my teacher what he thought of Gwen Stefani's new cd, and he said he's her teacher of 11 years and loves working with her. Is there anyone this guy doesn't work with? At some awards show about 5 years ago, she pointed at him and screamed, "That's my teacher! That's the guy who saved my career!" as he tried to shush her up with his gestures. She's a bubbly one. The reason she said that was that she had developed a node on her vocal cords from years of poor technique and almost had to quit until he somehow healed them without surgery. I mentioned I'd like to meet Gwen because we have a lot in common (not the bubbly part), and he agreed.
Why is it that, lately, everyone tells me I look like a recent high school graduate instead of a college graduate? I thought I looked my age. Not a bad thing, and it certainly bodes well for future years.
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Why is it that, lately, everyone tells me I look like a recent high school graduate instead of a college graduate? I thought I looked my age. Not a bad thing, and it certainly bodes well for future years.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
From The Feedroom
Nativity scene causes stir
Christian leaders on Wednesday denounced a Nativity scene at a London wax museum featuring soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, a former Spice Girl, as the parents of Jesus.
This really had me laughing, especially Kylie Minogue the angel hanging above. The likenesses are quite good. Notice that the press calls them representations of "the parents" of Jesus. Joseph wasn't supposed to be the father; God was, since the whole big deal was it being a virgin birth. That's even more blasphemous than the display! Yay for blasphemy. The story of Christ's birth was based on pagan folklore anyway, virginal conception and all. Christmas lands on December 25 only because that's the Winter Solstice, and Jesus wasn't even born on that day. How convenient for comfortably converting pagans. Distorting the truth like that is blasphemy in my personal belief system - that of being with reality.
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Nativity scene causes stir
Christian leaders on Wednesday denounced a Nativity scene at a London wax museum featuring soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, a former Spice Girl, as the parents of Jesus.
This really had me laughing, especially Kylie Minogue the angel hanging above. The likenesses are quite good. Notice that the press calls them representations of "the parents" of Jesus. Joseph wasn't supposed to be the father; God was, since the whole big deal was it being a virgin birth. That's even more blasphemous than the display! Yay for blasphemy. The story of Christ's birth was based on pagan folklore anyway, virginal conception and all. Christmas lands on December 25 only because that's the Winter Solstice, and Jesus wasn't even born on that day. How convenient for comfortably converting pagans. Distorting the truth like that is blasphemy in my personal belief system - that of being with reality.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
An interesting post by someone on the Neanderthal Psychology Yahoo group:
What [the author of the below mentioned article] means is the Caucasian (Western) cultural "norm" is K selected (low fertility), and the "Other" is r selected (high fertility). In the Great Apes and humans, K selection (feme choice) requires feme [female?] dominance. Thus, one cannot project the Western cultural norm on other cultures in a one-on-one comparison, or THE norm (also called Eurocentrism). Example: pairbonding/monogamy is not innate in all humans.
Artemis
IT IS ABOUT TIME FOR A LITTLE EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY ON THIS LIST.
Worth reading:
Lynn A Fairbanks, et al, "Adolescent Impulsivity Predicts Adult Dominance Attainment in Male Vervet Monkeys," AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, 64 (2004) 1-17.
Good experimental findings that contradict MANY stereotypes of
BOTH "left" and "right" -- suggesting the complexity of both male and female behavioral repertoires AND the role of male - male aggressiveness in primate social dominance and successful mating.
Of course, human societies differ in the way our version of the primate repertoire is integrated in cultural patterns. For the r-selected, male-dominance cultures characteristic of Islam, see: Asne Seierstad, THE BOOKSELLER OF KABUL (which should be a good reminder that American style "democracy" can't easily be exported to cultures where females are viewed as reproductive "PROPERTY" of the kin-group, not as independent equals of males). The primate data provide a good reminder that the human
variability can't be interpreted as meaning that one cultural form is the only means of expressing "human nature."
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What [the author of the below mentioned article] means is the Caucasian (Western) cultural "norm" is K selected (low fertility), and the "Other" is r selected (high fertility). In the Great Apes and humans, K selection (feme choice) requires feme [female?] dominance. Thus, one cannot project the Western cultural norm on other cultures in a one-on-one comparison, or THE norm (also called Eurocentrism). Example: pairbonding/monogamy is not innate in all humans.
Artemis
IT IS ABOUT TIME FOR A LITTLE EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY ON THIS LIST.
Worth reading:
Lynn A Fairbanks, et al, "Adolescent Impulsivity Predicts Adult Dominance Attainment in Male Vervet Monkeys," AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, 64 (2004) 1-17.
Good experimental findings that contradict MANY stereotypes of
BOTH "left" and "right" -- suggesting the complexity of both male and female behavioral repertoires AND the role of male - male aggressiveness in primate social dominance and successful mating.
Of course, human societies differ in the way our version of the primate repertoire is integrated in cultural patterns. For the r-selected, male-dominance cultures characteristic of Islam, see: Asne Seierstad, THE BOOKSELLER OF KABUL (which should be a good reminder that American style "democracy" can't easily be exported to cultures where females are viewed as reproductive "PROPERTY" of the kin-group, not as independent equals of males). The primate data provide a good reminder that the human
variability can't be interpreted as meaning that one cultural form is the only means of expressing "human nature."
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Paste this delightful clip into windows media player: Cats Behaving Badly
Courtesy Knowledge is Power
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Courtesy Knowledge is Power
I signed up for the Common Sense e-letter by Americans for Limited Government. We'll see if it pleases enough for me to stay subscribed. At this point, I think it will.
In other news...
Yes! I need to get off my ass and do that photo shoot with my pink hairless cat curled up in between my legs and lots of fake blood.
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In other news...
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Yes! I need to get off my ass and do that photo shoot with my pink hairless cat curled up in between my legs and lots of fake blood.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Today was a great musical day. The only gripe was the fact that I had a coughing fit right before my lesson, and my throat felt scratchy long thereafter. It didn't make singing more difficult - only less comfortable.
My teacher Ron says I'm belting my high notes like Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin now and that great progress is being made ("big time"). I was wondering why he was smiling so much during today's lesson. It wasn't a horny-old-man type of smile, but a beaming, happy person's smile. Singing the high notes in this manner sounds awful in my own head because of the way the sound reverberates (like Minnie Mouse whining), but Ron says it sounds great to everyone else. I worked on the vowel pronunciations of my song lyrics to "Tell Me" and sang it with this newfound knowledge. You sing certain words differently from how you'd say them (for example, "it" would be sung more like "eet"). It's not intuitive and is definitely a learned skill, but he says the proper vocalizations of specific songs stay with you forever as if hardwired.
Yes, Skot, I will get you those damn tracks so you can remix the song for me and I can rerecord the vocals with my "new voice." That producer is such a flake.
Last lesson, a really cute goth guy with a gentle voice named David came in after me. Ron was showing him how he'd lost 119 lbs. and David said that, if he lost 155, he'd have lost a whole him. All I could do was ask for today's date while I was writing my check and tell him to have fun. If I had spoken my mind, all that would have come out was "Can I eat you?" LOL. Today, I found out he's the lead singer of A.F.I. How can a guy be so gothily cute and yet have such a lame punk style of music? It's not fair! (so to speak). I know, I know...Laura, you can't compartmentalize people and you're being completely selfish. Looking at his T-shirts reveals that he likes VNV Nation and Joy Division. Guess he's either a sell-out or has varied tastes.
After returning home this afternoon, I got to writing new song lyrics immediately per Ron's orders, since I was in a musical and not analytical state of mind and wanted to take advantage of that before it left me. Amazingly, I wrote a complete song in about 15 minutes. It's called "Do Your Worst" and is mostly about fucktards trying to come after me and me having crushes only to immediately lose them once I discover an abhorrent mind underneath. The words used are very different from the ones I just used above to describe the content, so don't try to imagine. Now, all this needs is a melody and accompaniment. Think I'll be going for a darkish new wave electronic rock feel but with an original sound.
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My teacher Ron says I'm belting my high notes like Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin now and that great progress is being made ("big time"). I was wondering why he was smiling so much during today's lesson. It wasn't a horny-old-man type of smile, but a beaming, happy person's smile. Singing the high notes in this manner sounds awful in my own head because of the way the sound reverberates (like Minnie Mouse whining), but Ron says it sounds great to everyone else. I worked on the vowel pronunciations of my song lyrics to "Tell Me" and sang it with this newfound knowledge. You sing certain words differently from how you'd say them (for example, "it" would be sung more like "eet"). It's not intuitive and is definitely a learned skill, but he says the proper vocalizations of specific songs stay with you forever as if hardwired.
Yes, Skot, I will get you those damn tracks so you can remix the song for me and I can rerecord the vocals with my "new voice." That producer is such a flake.
Last lesson, a really cute goth guy with a gentle voice named David came in after me. Ron was showing him how he'd lost 119 lbs. and David said that, if he lost 155, he'd have lost a whole him. All I could do was ask for today's date while I was writing my check and tell him to have fun. If I had spoken my mind, all that would have come out was "Can I eat you?" LOL. Today, I found out he's the lead singer of A.F.I. How can a guy be so gothily cute and yet have such a lame punk style of music? It's not fair! (so to speak). I know, I know...Laura, you can't compartmentalize people and you're being completely selfish. Looking at his T-shirts reveals that he likes VNV Nation and Joy Division. Guess he's either a sell-out or has varied tastes.
After returning home this afternoon, I got to writing new song lyrics immediately per Ron's orders, since I was in a musical and not analytical state of mind and wanted to take advantage of that before it left me. Amazingly, I wrote a complete song in about 15 minutes. It's called "Do Your Worst" and is mostly about fucktards trying to come after me and me having crushes only to immediately lose them once I discover an abhorrent mind underneath. The words used are very different from the ones I just used above to describe the content, so don't try to imagine. Now, all this needs is a melody and accompaniment. Think I'll be going for a darkish new wave electronic rock feel but with an original sound.
I enjoyed this basic site on Eating Disorders, mostly for its fun pictures. It's also quite informative for those not too familiar with the etiology, symptoms, and prevalence of the various types.
By the way, I have just started eating a semi-decent dinner of 2 oz. of chicken with sour cream instead of just honeydew melon from lunchtime onward. I feel much better and am glad to have gotten out of my intense fear. It's that all-or-nothing thinking that needs to be changed (not to be confused with black-and-white thinking, which is different).
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By the way, I have just started eating a semi-decent dinner of 2 oz. of chicken with sour cream instead of just honeydew melon from lunchtime onward. I feel much better and am glad to have gotten out of my intense fear. It's that all-or-nothing thinking that needs to be changed (not to be confused with black-and-white thinking, which is different).
Saturday, December 04, 2004
My dad has malaria. They found the organisms in his blood. He must have gotten bitten by a mosquito in Indonesia when he went a few months ago on business. This is actually good in a long-term sense because it's curable. The medications they will be giving him to kill off the bugs won't be a very fun experience, though, as they will make him quite sick. Poor Daddy. His temperature was back up again this morning because, as the doctors report, they become active every 72 hours. It's down now from restabilization. That trip could have killed both of my parents, since my mom had a terrible stomach bug that made her throw up the whole time there and lose 10 lbs. Naturally, she liked that side-effect (until her cheeks began to look too hollow). Guess what geographical region they're never visiting again.
This is mom. She's 62 (and will probably kill me for revealing that, but I tell her she should be proud). Unfortunately, I don't have a digital image of my dad yet.
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This is mom. She's 62 (and will probably kill me for revealing that, but I tell her she should be proud). Unfortunately, I don't have a digital image of my dad yet.
Friday, December 03, 2004
NewScientist.com news service
Genes exert a strong influence over how nice - or socially responsible - humans are, a new study suggests. But contrary to other studies on personality traits, it suggests upbringing also plays a major role.
Philippe Rushton, a psychologist at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, asked 322 pairs of twins to rate themselves on a standardised questionnaire which measured social responsibility.
Identical twins share 100% of their genes while fraternal twins share 50%. By looking at how the sets of twins differ from each other, researchers can estimate the comparative importance of genes and environment in the development of different traits.
Earlier investigations of personality traits - including antisocial behaviour or delinquency - show a strong genetic contribution. Rushton’s study echoed this, with genes responsible for about 42% of the variance in people for socially responsible behaviour, such as voting, keeping promises and honouring commitments.
“I think that the implication is that goodness is somewhat inherent in people. We all join groups and we all want to do the right thing by our group. I mean, there’s even honour among thieves,” says Rushton.
Peer groups
He also found that around 23% of the variance in reported social responsibility could be explained by the family environment, which includes things like parenting style, culture and parental jobs. The other 35% has been accounted for by unshared environment - having different peer groups, for example - and margins of error.
The questionnaire included positive statements such as “I am the kind of person people can count on,” and negative ones including “why bother to vote when you can do so little just with your vote”. Twins were asked to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with each statement.
Overall, women had higher scores for social responsibility than men. The results indicated a slight difference in genetic contribution: with genes contributing to about 50% of the variance in men compared to 40% in women. The results also suggested that parenting plays a greater role in a woman’s social responsibility than in a man’s.
“The finding seems to show that parents may socialise their daughters more than they do their boys,” Rushton told New Scientist. “They may say that boys will be boys but, when it comes to their daughters, they are more careful.”
However, large meta-analyses of twin studies have rarely supported these types of sex differences and Rushton says that the result must be validated.
Contradictory findings
Robert Plomin, a behavioural geneticist at King’s College, London, UK, was surprised to see that the shared environment - the effects of parents and parenting style - had an impact.
“It’s nice to think that niceness shows the influence of family environment, because not a lot of other personality traits do. It’s so rare that it’s worth following up on,” he says.
But Plomin’s own study on socialised behaviour, which is now in press, contradicts the findings on shared environment. In a similar experiment, he and his colleagues mailed out questionnaires to parents of thousands of registered twins, asking them to rate their children’s pro-social behaviour.
While they found that the shared environment affects children of three and four years old, by the time they reached seven years of age the effect is gone. Twins in Rushton’s experiment ranged in age from 18 to 75 years old.
Journal Reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological
Sciences (DOI:10.1098/rspb.2004.2941)
It's always kind of iffy when people are self-rating themselves on characteristics that have strong positive or negative social implications. Naturally, people might want to see themselves as nice and, therefore, may rate themselves as nicer than they really are. Of course, I'm guessing that would only be a minor confound, since most people wouldn't want to exaggerate TOO much. This is an interesting study, nevertheless, and I definitely think there's a genetic component to "niceness" or social responsibility. It's probable that upbringing may play a role as well, but it's also possible that parents who try to bring up their children to be nice have the gene to be socially responsible in the first place, which is directly passed on. In other words, there may simply be a correlation between upbringing and niceness, but we cannot yet claim causation. That percentage that supposedly indicates familial influence may also reflect genetics.
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Genes exert a strong influence over how nice - or socially responsible - humans are, a new study suggests. But contrary to other studies on personality traits, it suggests upbringing also plays a major role.
Philippe Rushton, a psychologist at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada, asked 322 pairs of twins to rate themselves on a standardised questionnaire which measured social responsibility.
Identical twins share 100% of their genes while fraternal twins share 50%. By looking at how the sets of twins differ from each other, researchers can estimate the comparative importance of genes and environment in the development of different traits.
Earlier investigations of personality traits - including antisocial behaviour or delinquency - show a strong genetic contribution. Rushton’s study echoed this, with genes responsible for about 42% of the variance in people for socially responsible behaviour, such as voting, keeping promises and honouring commitments.
“I think that the implication is that goodness is somewhat inherent in people. We all join groups and we all want to do the right thing by our group. I mean, there’s even honour among thieves,” says Rushton.
Peer groups
He also found that around 23% of the variance in reported social responsibility could be explained by the family environment, which includes things like parenting style, culture and parental jobs. The other 35% has been accounted for by unshared environment - having different peer groups, for example - and margins of error.
The questionnaire included positive statements such as “I am the kind of person people can count on,” and negative ones including “why bother to vote when you can do so little just with your vote”. Twins were asked to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with each statement.
Overall, women had higher scores for social responsibility than men. The results indicated a slight difference in genetic contribution: with genes contributing to about 50% of the variance in men compared to 40% in women. The results also suggested that parenting plays a greater role in a woman’s social responsibility than in a man’s.
“The finding seems to show that parents may socialise their daughters more than they do their boys,” Rushton told New Scientist. “They may say that boys will be boys but, when it comes to their daughters, they are more careful.”
However, large meta-analyses of twin studies have rarely supported these types of sex differences and Rushton says that the result must be validated.
Contradictory findings
Robert Plomin, a behavioural geneticist at King’s College, London, UK, was surprised to see that the shared environment - the effects of parents and parenting style - had an impact.
“It’s nice to think that niceness shows the influence of family environment, because not a lot of other personality traits do. It’s so rare that it’s worth following up on,” he says.
But Plomin’s own study on socialised behaviour, which is now in press, contradicts the findings on shared environment. In a similar experiment, he and his colleagues mailed out questionnaires to parents of thousands of registered twins, asking them to rate their children’s pro-social behaviour.
While they found that the shared environment affects children of three and four years old, by the time they reached seven years of age the effect is gone. Twins in Rushton’s experiment ranged in age from 18 to 75 years old.
Journal Reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological
Sciences (DOI:10.1098/rspb.2004.2941)
It's always kind of iffy when people are self-rating themselves on characteristics that have strong positive or negative social implications. Naturally, people might want to see themselves as nice and, therefore, may rate themselves as nicer than they really are. Of course, I'm guessing that would only be a minor confound, since most people wouldn't want to exaggerate TOO much. This is an interesting study, nevertheless, and I definitely think there's a genetic component to "niceness" or social responsibility. It's probable that upbringing may play a role as well, but it's also possible that parents who try to bring up their children to be nice have the gene to be socially responsible in the first place, which is directly passed on. In other words, there may simply be a correlation between upbringing and niceness, but we cannot yet claim causation. That percentage that supposedly indicates familial influence may also reflect genetics.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Oh this is great. Just read it on the blogger main page:
Resistance is Futile
This news article at Reuters says 'Blog' Tops U.S. Dictionary's Words of the Year. We are the blog. Join us.
You get the reference, I hope.
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Resistance is Futile
This news article at Reuters says 'Blog' Tops U.S. Dictionary's Words of the Year. We are the blog. Join us.
You get the reference, I hope.
A Little Update
As of last night, my dad's temperature is back to normal, and he is speaking and remembering things as well as ever again. He didn't even remember my mom taking him to the doctor when it was still up but then had full recollection when it went back down. His temperature of 106.8 was the all-time high at that hospital. If my mom hadn't insisted he see the doctor that day instead of the next, who knows what might have happened. She sounds a lot better and isn't crying on the phone any more. She had been crying for 2 weeks already because he had been acting so strangely. It probably started building up 3 weeks ago and got progressively worse. He would ask her if she was mad at him, and she'd say "No, I'm just so worried about you. I hate to see you like this." He wasn't kissing her or smiling as usual, and she had to serve him hand and foot. He spent much of every day in bed, which isn't like him. He's usually a busy bee in his office. I have a feeling this is all going to reverse now. He's already got his sense of humor back, which makes him seem so much younger, according to mom. "Look at you! You look wonderful!"
The infection was not in the injured shoulder, and they haven't figured out the cause just yet. When it rains, it pours...
I explained that he has a very dynamic mind that's sensitive to increased stimulation, be it from heat or whatever else. I have the same type of brain, so I would know. It's both a blessing and a curse in that it gives us certain abilities others lack but can also hinder us when external insults occur.
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As of last night, my dad's temperature is back to normal, and he is speaking and remembering things as well as ever again. He didn't even remember my mom taking him to the doctor when it was still up but then had full recollection when it went back down. His temperature of 106.8 was the all-time high at that hospital. If my mom hadn't insisted he see the doctor that day instead of the next, who knows what might have happened. She sounds a lot better and isn't crying on the phone any more. She had been crying for 2 weeks already because he had been acting so strangely. It probably started building up 3 weeks ago and got progressively worse. He would ask her if she was mad at him, and she'd say "No, I'm just so worried about you. I hate to see you like this." He wasn't kissing her or smiling as usual, and she had to serve him hand and foot. He spent much of every day in bed, which isn't like him. He's usually a busy bee in his office. I have a feeling this is all going to reverse now. He's already got his sense of humor back, which makes him seem so much younger, according to mom. "Look at you! You look wonderful!"
The infection was not in the injured shoulder, and they haven't figured out the cause just yet. When it rains, it pours...
I explained that he has a very dynamic mind that's sensitive to increased stimulation, be it from heat or whatever else. I have the same type of brain, so I would know. It's both a blessing and a curse in that it gives us certain abilities others lack but can also hinder us when external insults occur.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
We just went through a health scare with my dad. My parents are at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ for their annual checkup, and he was already suffering from severe shoulder pain. They already knew he would need a replacement soon. It only got worse and, on the morning of the day after their arrival, my dad acted very strangely - like he had had a stroke. He was extremely lethargic and uncommunicative, which worried my mom greatly because he's 77.
Turns out he developed an infection in that shoulder, which was worn to bone-on-bone and had another broken piece of bone lodged in it. All those years since his horse accident, and only now it catches up with him. His temperature went up to 106.5 degrees, and his heart rate went down to a lower than usual rate (but this can be attributed to travelling from a mountainous zone to sea level). My mom called me in tears, which always upsets me. Only hearing her cry can make such an impact on me, but she is a worrier by nature. Still, that knowledge couldn't stop me from a few tears of my own, which I was able to curb pretty quickly.
As I write this, he is being transported in an ambulance to the hospital to be stabilized, after which the doctors say he'll be just fine. His heart is strong, which is very reassuring. I spoke to him a little and told him they'd fix him right up, and he seemed to express in the affirmative (yet not coherently, as he had difficulty with word choice). If you had a temperature of 106.5, you'd probably have difficulty moving about and speaking too, no matter what your age.
They learned he has a liver problem (hepatitis), which I suspect interfered with his body's ability to handle the infection. I'm guessing antibiotics will be the next step and, eventually, that inevitable shoulder surgery. The Christmas party in Utah is being cancelled. No more James Bond style drinking for you, Daddy. My mom learned later that the doctor had told him to go to the hospital the very day they arrived, but he stubbornly refused and didn't tell my mom. That's my dad for you.
It's strange how a sudden threat leads you to imagine what life will be like after loss, even when you don't know for sure that it's going to happen right then. For starters, I know I'd be a source of strength for my mom.
I'm in charge of updating the family today. Better get to it. Todd (my brother), I know you read this because I track visitors. Please spread the word, since I don't have everybody's contact info.
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Turns out he developed an infection in that shoulder, which was worn to bone-on-bone and had another broken piece of bone lodged in it. All those years since his horse accident, and only now it catches up with him. His temperature went up to 106.5 degrees, and his heart rate went down to a lower than usual rate (but this can be attributed to travelling from a mountainous zone to sea level). My mom called me in tears, which always upsets me. Only hearing her cry can make such an impact on me, but she is a worrier by nature. Still, that knowledge couldn't stop me from a few tears of my own, which I was able to curb pretty quickly.
As I write this, he is being transported in an ambulance to the hospital to be stabilized, after which the doctors say he'll be just fine. His heart is strong, which is very reassuring. I spoke to him a little and told him they'd fix him right up, and he seemed to express in the affirmative (yet not coherently, as he had difficulty with word choice). If you had a temperature of 106.5, you'd probably have difficulty moving about and speaking too, no matter what your age.
They learned he has a liver problem (hepatitis), which I suspect interfered with his body's ability to handle the infection. I'm guessing antibiotics will be the next step and, eventually, that inevitable shoulder surgery. The Christmas party in Utah is being cancelled. No more James Bond style drinking for you, Daddy. My mom learned later that the doctor had told him to go to the hospital the very day they arrived, but he stubbornly refused and didn't tell my mom. That's my dad for you.
It's strange how a sudden threat leads you to imagine what life will be like after loss, even when you don't know for sure that it's going to happen right then. For starters, I know I'd be a source of strength for my mom.
I'm in charge of updating the family today. Better get to it. Todd (my brother), I know you read this because I track visitors. Please spread the word, since I don't have everybody's contact info.
