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THE VIEW FROM CHAOS MANOR

View 505 February 13 - 17, 2008

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Monday, February 11, 2008

This day was devoured by locusts. I had medical appointments from noon, and a dinner and discussion engagement at 6. While in the waiting room I was able to work on Mamelukes a bit: I carried Lisabetta the HP TabletPC, and wrote about ten lines as well as making a few corrections. And of course I was able to read the last two chapters, so I am ready to get to work tomorrow.

The medical appointment itself was a bust. They didn't have all the test results in yet. There is more and more evidence that everything I have is in my head: it's not a metastasized product of elsewhere. On the other hand I seem to be a bit anemic, which is ominous; the main symptom of that is lowered energy, which is a bit frightening to me. I have more energy than most people my age, and get more done, but I am slowing down.

I have another appointment on Valentine's Day, and that may finally get me started on some kind of treatments. So far, the main problem is that I don't talk well (it gets worse as the day wears on). I don't have as many headaches as I had earlier on. I don't get the phony sinus headaches that used to plague me. The arthritis in my lower back makes one hip hurt like crazy sometimes, but that's not really a part of the big problem. I do have one eye not focusing well and a more or less permanent case of Bell's palsy that doesn't seem to get better. None of that is unbearable or even worse than very inconvenient. I can still drive. I can still hike. I have trouble swallowing and there's a permanent taste of brass I could do without, and tinnitus, but I keep the radio on all the time and that helps.

So. On Valentine's Day I should learn more, and, please God, they'll start some kind of radiation treatment. The oncologist told me he doesn't think this is a case for chemotherapy. That's good news.

And there I am. I need to tell Toni at Baen Books that I'm sorry I didn't get Mamelukes done in January as I thought I would, but it's not impossible I'll have the draft done in February. And I am keeping Chaos Manor Reviews up, thanks to all those who have recently subscribed or renewed their subscription.

==============

I've been reading Liberal Fascism, and there will be a review later this month. It got me thinking. Has there been anything more fascist in the US than bussing millions of kids across cities into bad schools to fit a social theory?

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Tuesday,  February 12, 2008  

Today I am going to work on Mamelukes. It hasn't been a bad day so far. It's time to do fiction.

I'll deal with mail this evening. Meanwhile the column is up, the International Edition is out to the overseas publishers, and all is well.

Thanks to all those who have recently renewed or subscribed.

==============

A security warning:

Dr. Pournelle:

Reports from the various malware researchers indicate that the exploit for Adobe PDF files is becoming widespread. Although it's not clear at this time the exact distribution, there appears to be distribution via PDF links in banner ads, and also through the usual spam mail.

Adobe has an update available. To install, start up your Adobe program (reader or 'writer'), and use Help, Check for updates. Current version is 8.12 (shown via Help, About). Any prior versions (before version 8) should be replaced with version 8.12.

Regards, Rick Hellewell

Take Heed!

.

 

 

 

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Wednesday,  February 13, 2007

Friday the 13th falls on a Wednesday this month.

Today was not very productive. I didn't get a good night's sleep, and after our morning walk I ended up taking a nap at the time I would normally work on this page. Apologies.

When I got up I found I had received a care package from Western Digital, which included their new "My Book" backup for Mac; review coming up in the column. There were also a couple of 500 GB SATA drives, one of which will replace the Barracuda main drive in Alexis, my communications machine. I have a suspicion that the 2+ year old drive in Alexis is beginning to go; it seems to have some soft errors, and it seems reasonable to replace it. A few years ago I took Western Digital off my recommended list, but I am persuaded that the quality control problems they had then are long over, and WD is a worthy rival to Seagate. After all, there was a period in the 80's when Seagate didn't have the highly deserved reputation for robustness they have now.

I went out to Fashion Square to get Valentine candy and card and so forth. And I puttered around, not really getting much work done, which isn't a good thing.

Tomorrow we have the big meeting with the oncologist, and God willing I will find out what brand of radiation they have in mind for me. Maybe we can get started. The problem is that no one wants to try a biopsy given the location of the foreign mass they see in the scans of my head, so they've been using indirect means to diagnose what this is, and guess what kind of radiation it should respond to. The neurosurgeon really and really doesn't want to bore into that area; which means I don't really want him in there either.

=========================

I've been carrying the Kindle, and it's pretty good. I'm used to it now, and it's easy to read. I still think Amazon ought to bundle a bunch of books with it and practically give the Kindle itself away; they'll sell a lot of books that way because it's so easy to buy books by wireless.

================

George Noory (Art Bell's successor on Coast to Coast) has a physician guest who claims to be able to get stem cells from a patient's own blood, get them to multiply, and then inject them into the brain; he claims fairly miraculous cures of Huntington's, Parkinson's, and a number of other brain problems. It sounds a lot like the "regeneration simulators" I have been using my my futuristic science fiction; after all, if lizards can regenerate, and human livers can regenerate, why can't other human organs regenerate? I'll have to give George a call and get an introduction to this physician. Not, you will understand, that I am necessarily looking for unorthodox treatments. For now I have no reason to believe the standard treatment won't work on me. On the other hand, if the physicians think they're out of ideas, then it's my responsibility, and I really don't much care what the government approves or disapproves.

Note that this treatment uses adult stem cells, not embryonic, and they have several radical cures, and the physician claims they are available to do testimonials. One was on the show last night. Miracles on demand, and all that. One wonders how true these stories are. George, of course, never questions the veracity of his guests, including mediums, numerologists, and distance viewers, as well as experts on Roswell who were witness to events that no one ever knew happened at Roswell until many years later when Roswell decided to become a tourist attraction. It's not his job. He does ask questions.

I think the government has some duty to enforce truth in advertising. A doctor who tells people not to go to traditional oncologists, but come to him and get injections of apricot seed extract which is all you need for myeloma is probably no great friend to mankind. On the other hand, if I think snake oil is the only thing that will help me, it's my business. The government may have some obligation to insure that the liquid in that bottle is genuine oil squeezed from snakes, and even to tell me that I have to be out of my mind to drink that stuff, but surely the government's right ends there? Of course that's not the law. The law says that if the government hasn't got around to certifying that the stuff is both safe and effective, you can't take it. Precisely where in the Constitution the Feds got that power is not clear to me.

Ah well.

=================

 

 

 

 

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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Valentine's Day

Men: It's still not too late, and don't kid yourself that it's not important.

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Today is the day we find out the recommended course of treatment for whatever is going on in my head.

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It looks like McCain vs. Obama. This is going to be interesting.

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Truth in advertising. Why is the government so much more concerned about medicines and drugs than about stock brokers who put on advertisements featuring a grocery clerk who tells you he put in a put play and make a real quick $1700, and who is now making his living doing stock market trades? Ah well.

=========

If you want to know why we are stuck with burning food to get power:

'Not ready'.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/business/14nuke.html>

--- Roland Dobbins

This is nigh on to incredible, or would be if I didn't know about Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy. Of those who are likely to become President, there is not one who will fix this. We will go on burning food.

Well, there is one who would fix this, but not a candidate for president.

Actually, I have some indications that Mr. Thompson would make the necessary changes in the Commission, but he's no more likely to become president than I am to become emperor.

=================

Repeating a warning. Patch that Adobe:

Dr. Pournelle:

Reports from the various malware researchers indicate that the exploit for Adobe PDF files is becoming widespread. Although it's not clear at this time the exact distribution, there appears to be distribution via PDF links in banner ads, and also through the usual spam mail.

Adobe has an update available. To install, start up your Adobe program (reader or 'writer'), and use Help, Check for updates. Current version is 8.1.2 (shown via Help, About). Any prior versions (before version 8) should be replaced with version 8.1.2.

Regards, Rick Hellewell

================

And yet, not a mention of the Republic anywhere to be found.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/magazine/27world-t.html?pagewanted=all >

-- Roland Dobbins

Why would there be? All imperialists are not fascists, but all Jacobins are imperialists.

========

Present Arms

FROM Maj. Gene Duncan.

I want to preface this by saying I don't have a thing against Heath Ledger. In fact, until yesterday, I didn't even know who he was. I'm not a movie buff and don't spend much time watching them.

But today at lunch, I happened to be in a restaurant in which a news program was running on one of the TVs. And, of course, his story came up. The coverage was extensive, interviews with fellow actors were conducted, his dad spoke, and everyone was obviously saddened by his loss.

I guess the irony came as I happened to look away from the TV and onto the page of the USA Today I was reading. Page 8A. A small box in the middle of the page which held 4 names. Names of troops killed in Iraq. One name caught my eye. SSG Justin R. Whiting, 27, of Hancock, NY.

The reason his name caught my eye initially was his age. He was a year younger than Heath Ledger. I read the short description in the box for Justin Whiting.

"died Saturday in Mosul from wounds suffered when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device; 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)."

That's it. That's all. Page 1D and 4D in the paper were all about Heath Ledger. Whiting got a sentence.

But that sentence said a lot about Justin Whiting. A 27 year old SSG, he was one sharp soldier. That's a fairly young age to make that rank. And, of course he was a paratrooper. In fact, I'd bet my bottom dollar he had served with either the 82nd Airborne Division or the 173rd Airborne Brigade - or both.

And he was Special Forces. He had earned and wore the coveted green beret. He was quite a young man and I know all of that from that one simple sentence, because I know what it took to be where he was, wearing the rank and beret he wore at his age.

I don't begrudge Heath Ledger his fame. I'm sure he was a fine actor. I certainly am sorry about his death. But I often think back to what Henry Fonda is credited with saying about being honored for his acting. He said he was surprised by all the hoopla because, in reality, all he did was pretend to be someone else who had actually done something. Perhaps if Ledger had lived he might have found his greatest role playing Jason Whiting in some future movie.

Order Arms

=================

We're back. The good news is that I don't have multiple myeloma. The reasonably good news is that they'll start radiation treatment on my head next week. The bad news is that they're still not sure what I have; but the downside of treating the wrong thing is not high, and something has to be done, so it's time to get started.

Which is a big relief; apparently I'll be around a few more years. At least there's a pretty good chance I will. Now if we can cure the headaches and the brass taste and tinnitus and swallowing problems, I can be nearly normal...

Tomorrow it's work on Mamelukes and no mistake.

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Friday, February 15, 2008

After our morning walk the radiologist called and Roberta talked them into a consultation appointment this afternoon. Whether they will start treatment then I don't know, but at least something will be happening. It's as well because the symptoms are getting a bit worse.

So we'll see. I don't intend this to be a view of my medical conditions. I am still an analyst and commentator, albeit one with somewhat diminished energy. Not that diminished. I'm still working.

I can still think and write. I just don't talk so good. Maybe I'll do a podcast in my present condition as a contrast to see whether I really am getting better. I don't know what radiation therapy is like but I doubt it is a lot of fun.

==========

Well, we have had a long consultation with Dr. Wang, and radiation begins next week. Meanwhile I get steroids to reduce swelling. They still are not entirely sure what I have because the neurosurgeon really doesn't want to bore in there even to get a biopsy.

So next week they start doing something.

 

 

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Saturday, February 16, 2008

Last night we had Niven over for dinner, then the three of us (Marilyn is at a lace convention) went to Spiderwick Chronicles. It was charming. Bit scary for kids I suppose but not excessively so. And us adults loved it. The child actors and actress were very good indeed. I foresee a great future for Mary-Louise Parker, who did a great job in a rather difficult role (big sister to MacIver, basically).

 

Took my steroids at dinner and then bedtime last night.

Woke up almost euphoric this morning. Steroids I guess. I was actually singing "One of these mornings, you going to rise up singing.."  Hip didn't hurt. No headache. Neck didn't hurt. Swallowed a lot easier.

Over the day some of this wore off. Swallowing easier than yesterday's best even at dinner time, but voice is deteriorating. I think in full sentences, but when I try. To say what. I think. It comes out in. A gravel voice and choppy. phrases.  Like that.

We went to Othello tonight. Substitute Desdemona, one day practice, very good indeed. The problem with seeing Othello is that after you see Domingo and Cheryl Mills do Othello, the rest are pretty pale. Tonight in addition to good leads but not up to Domingo and Mills (who would be?) we had goofy sets, squirrely lighting, and awful costumes that verged on the hilarious in places. Iago actually wore what amounted to a Fascist Black Shirt outfit with leather pants and jackboots. This on a 16th Century Venetian officer! Cassio was dressed in what looked like the discarded clothes of a library janitor. Othello had a reasonable costume, but the Ducal Guard of the Venetian Ambassador wore what looked like the cast off clothes of a bunch of cod fishermen. And the set in the second act had what looked for all the world like a modern parking structure behind it. The lighting designer kept trying to put the sea on stage with neon blue lights, and he brought a ship into Othello's bedroom for the final scene. Or at least Othello enters by climbing out of the crow's nest into a barely furnished bedroom. Bizarre all around. And distracting, at least for me.

For me the charm of opera is to have good actors singing. The purpose of sets and costumes is NOT to draw attention to themselves. But no one learns this now, particularly not the LA Opera, which has gone seriously down hill since Peter Hemmings built it from nothing to a world class opera.  Ah. Well.

The Othello was all right, and I am not sorry I went. The principals can't help it if LA had already done it much better with Mills and Domingo. Still, to have to ignore the sets, costumes, and lighting in order to enjoy the opera is a bit much.

Tomorrow we have the Wagner Society meeting at the Goethe Institute. This is opera weekend. Leo invited me on TWIT to record tomorrow but I had to explain that for Roberta opera takes full precedence. Back when BYTE was sending me to shows I sometimes had to go leaving her to take one of the boys, but now nothing takes precedence...

This means the mail bag for next week will probably be delayed until Tuesday, and since Monday I get my face mask and Tuesday they plan the radiation and probably start zapping, I don't promise ANYTHNG will be on time until things settle in.

The Mac continues to work just fine. I have the Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard for the Mac, but I have to confess that the new Mac keyboard sort of grows on me. We'll see.

And now it's late. It has been a long day but one of the more comfortable days in weeks, and I had a good bit of energy too.

.

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Sunday, February 17, 2008

The following is representative:

The View Page And You

Jerry,

Re: your comment: "...I don't intend this to be a view of my medical conditions."

I am sure I speak for a large number of your long-time readers when I say that we love the "traditional" content in the View section (tech, opinion, essays, etc). However, we also care very much about you as a person. Over the years you have shared much with us, and now, similar to the personal experience of many of us, you are facing a significant challenge. In these situations, having a support network is important. You certainly have our thoughts and prayers of support, and if it is helpful for you to share your experiences via the View, I know that I for one would find that completely appropriate, and a pleasure to read (and possibly help in some small way).

God bless.

Greg Alonzo Philadelphia, PA

===============

And this is a warning I will probably repeat in tomorrow's view as well:

Wormy Picture Frames...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
f=/c/a/2008/02/15/BU47V0VOH.DTL&type=business 

"An insidious computer virus recently discovered on digital photo frames has been identified as a powerful new Trojan Horse from China that collects passwords for online games - and its designers might have larger targets in mind."

"The strength of the malware shows how skilled hackers have become and how serious they are about targeting digital devices, which provide a new frontier for stealing information from vast numbers of unwary PC owners. More than 2.26 million digital frames were sold in 2007, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, and it expects sales to grow to 3.26 million in 2008."

Charles Brumbelow

I very nearly bought one of those digital photo frames as a Christmas present for my wife.  This is frightening indeed.

==========

Noon: We are off to the Wagner Society meeting. I'm pumped up with steroids, but I won't be singing along.  Never do, actually, but especially not today.

Thanks for all the messages. The column will be about Outlook problems when there may be hardware glitches, and a work around.

Changing tables. I need a more elegant work table for the Mac. I'll have to see what's available. You'll laugh at what I'm using now.

============

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