"Dangerous" Triangular Flapjacks Banned In England
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Kenny Baker, R. I. P.
Kenny Baker, actor behind R2-D2, dies: The British actor who played R2-D2 in the Star Wars films has died at the age of 83 after a long illness.
A Few of My Medical Adventures
Any time you think that medicine is an exact science, consider me.
I was feeling a bit punk, so I went to see my PCP for a checkup. He was a bit worried about my kidneys and told me to get an x-ray. Since the only x-ray equipment in Alvin is my old x-ray specs, I had to drive to another town, and I waited until the next day. As I was driving, I got a call from my PCP, who said, "Your blood work is very bad. I'm afraid you're having renal failure. You need to forget the x-ray and get to an ER."
So I went home, packed a bag and got to an ER, where I was poked, tested, and given a room.
The next day, the attending physician came in and told me that I didn't have renal failure but that I most l likely had lymphoma. Because of Judy's illness and death, I blurted out, "What are the odds?"
The doctor misunderstood and said, "About 90% certainty."
Gloom.
The next day, the doctor said, "It doesn't appear to be lymphoma, after all. You might have colon cancer."
Gloom.
The next day, the doctor said, "It's not colon cancer, after all. All we can say now is that it's an adenocarcinoma of unknown origin."
Much more gloom.
The next day, the oncologist breezed into the room. "It now appears that you might have prostate cancer. That might turn out to be the best option of all. Well, my flight for London leaves in an hour. Ta-ta."
Me to Angela: "Get me out of this damn place."
We got out. The next day.
Angela and her husband, Tom, started pulling strings, and it turned out that they were good at it. In less than a week, I had an appointment at M. D. Anderson, but even then it took five more days before the prostate cancer was confirmed. You'd think that would be an easy one to spot, but not in my case. Nothing is ever easy when I'm involved, it seems.
There are many more harrowing (and funny [not to mention hugely embarrassing], in retrospect) stories I could tell about all this, and no doubt there will be many more. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to some of them.
I was feeling a bit punk, so I went to see my PCP for a checkup. He was a bit worried about my kidneys and told me to get an x-ray. Since the only x-ray equipment in Alvin is my old x-ray specs, I had to drive to another town, and I waited until the next day. As I was driving, I got a call from my PCP, who said, "Your blood work is very bad. I'm afraid you're having renal failure. You need to forget the x-ray and get to an ER."
So I went home, packed a bag and got to an ER, where I was poked, tested, and given a room.
The next day, the attending physician came in and told me that I didn't have renal failure but that I most l likely had lymphoma. Because of Judy's illness and death, I blurted out, "What are the odds?"
The doctor misunderstood and said, "About 90% certainty."
Gloom.
The next day, the doctor said, "It doesn't appear to be lymphoma, after all. You might have colon cancer."
Gloom.
The next day, the doctor said, "It's not colon cancer, after all. All we can say now is that it's an adenocarcinoma of unknown origin."
Much more gloom.
The next day, the oncologist breezed into the room. "It now appears that you might have prostate cancer. That might turn out to be the best option of all. Well, my flight for London leaves in an hour. Ta-ta."
Me to Angela: "Get me out of this damn place."
We got out. The next day.
Angela and her husband, Tom, started pulling strings, and it turned out that they were good at it. In less than a week, I had an appointment at M. D. Anderson, but even then it took five more days before the prostate cancer was confirmed. You'd think that would be an easy one to spot, but not in my case. Nothing is ever easy when I'm involved, it seems.
There are many more harrowing (and funny [not to mention hugely embarrassing], in retrospect) stories I could tell about all this, and no doubt there will be many more. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to some of them.
Friday, August 12, 2016
Glenn Yarbrough, R. I. P.
Singer Glenn Yarbrough dead at 86: Folk singer Glenn Yarbrough, a founding member of vocal group The Limeliters and a prolific solo artist, died at home in Nashville on Thursday night after several years of declining health. He was 86 years old.
FFB: Agent to the Stars -- John Scalzi
Agent to the Stars was John Scalzi's first novel, written as a "practice" novel just to see if he could do it. He serialized it online, and it was enough of a success to encourage him to continue writing. After he became a rich and famous writer, Subterranean Press issued a limited edition, and eventually Tor reprinted the book in paperback.Tom Stein is a Hollywood agent who works in Carl Lupo's agency. Stein has a few low-profile clients, but he's a good agent and has just landed a really big deal for one of the clients, Michelle Beck. Before he can celebrate much, Lupo calls him into his office and tells him to drop most of his clients because he has a new client for him. The new client turns out to be Joshua, an alien life from, who's more or less a blob and whose race communicates through smell. He smells terrible. Stein's job is to create a situation in which the people of earth accept the aliens as friends and allies. A tabloid reporter knows something is going on, and he's a bulldog when he's after a story. Michelle Beck wants to do serious acting. Stein's juggling a lot of balls.
Someday when scholars are writing monographs on Scalzi's work, they'll be able to trace a lot of his concerns right back to this book. Lots of fart jokes, for one thing. Lots of concern for social justice. There's also plenty of snappy patter and plenty of laughs. I thought the book was far too long, thanks to a lot of discussion about ethics in the last 1/3, but Scalzi might think that was the heart of the novel. I enjoyed the book and was glad I finally got around to reading it.
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago Today (August 11th)
Forgotten Hits: 50 Years Ago Today (August 11th): Although nobody knew it at the time, 50 Years Ago Today The Beatles landed in Chicago for the start of what would be their final concert tour.
Patrice Munsel, R.I. P.
The New York Times: Patrice Munsel, a coloratura soprano who as a teenager became one of the Metropolitan Opera’s youngest stars and later crossed over into television and musical theater, died on Aug. 4 at her home in Schroon Lake, N.Y. She was 91.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
“The Passion of Lizzie B.” (by Edward D. Hoch) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN
“The Passion of Lizzie B.” (by Edward D. Hoch) | SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN: It’s often been theorized that violent crime goes up in the summer due to higher temperatures. The murders of Andrew and Abby Borden are among the most notorious crimes committed on a hot summer day—on August 4, 1892. Lizzie Borden, Andrew’s daughter and Abby’s stepdaughter, was arrested for the ax killings, tried, and acquitted. Despite her acquittal, many continued to believe her guilty of the brutal murders. Many writers have taken up the subject of the Borden murders, but few have turned a fictional eye to alternative courses Lizzie’s life might have taken after her release. Patricia Hoch, the widow of MWA Grand Master Edward D. Hoch, has kindly given us permission to post this story from Ed’s Ben Snow series, in which Lizzie’s story is imaginatively continued in a way other than it did in reality. The story first appeared in the September 1993 EQMM, and it is copyrighted by the estate of Edward D. Hoch.—Janet Hutchings
Sagan Lewis, R. I. P.
NY Daily News: Actress Sagan Lewis, known for her long-running role on "St. Elsewhere," has died. She was 63.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Tuesday, August 09, 2016
An Affliction I Don't Have
The Strange Affliction of 'Library Anxiety' and What Librarians Do to Help: It's a real phenomenon, and Ivy League librarians are fighting it.
Overlooked Movies -- Buck Privates
Before you cast too many aspersions on Buck Privates, consider that it was nominated for two Academy Awards. For music, I admit, not for acting or story. Abbott and Costello are a couple of sharpies selling neckties out of a suitcase when a cop gets after them. They hide out in a recruiting center and find themselves in the army. Also joining up are a spoiled rich guy and his chauffeur. The rich guy expects his father to pull strings and get out soon. The chauffeur is all for doing his duty. They compete for the charms of the lovely Joan Frazee, the Andrews sisters sing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," and Bud and Lou engage in their comedy routines.Bud and Lou are dismayed to discover that the cop who was after them is their sergeant. What are the odds? There are plenty of conflicts there, of course. The rich guy doesn't get out, the army shapes him up, and he gets into officer training school, as does the chauffeur. They are now more or less pals.
Full-out patriotism rules the day, as it almost always did in the '40s, the real thing, not what passes for it these days. No cynicism, no winking. Even if the whole cast was planning to dodge the draft, the movie plays it 100% straight. It was hugely popular and made stars of Abbott and Costello. You might find that hard to believe, watching it now, but it's true, and it was fun to revisit the old days, even if the corn was as high as an elephant's eye. Or a giraffe's eye. Those who don't remember the old days might find it intolerable. Those who can't take Abbott and Costello's brand of humor certainly will.
Monday, August 08, 2016
Sunday, August 07, 2016
Once Again Texas Leads the Way
Police: Laptop used to reprogram, steal more than 100 cars: HOUSTON (AP) — Two men jailed in Houston and accused of using pirated computer software to steal more than 100 vehicles may have exploited an electronic vulnerability to advance auto theft into high-tech crime.
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