After some thought, I decided to make this more of a diary. I've had some interesting experiences I want to share. For example, I went out last night (8-19-2005) and to visit "Bix," a great restaurant near North Beach in San Francisco. (And beautiful, too! Click this link!) Mom's visiting and I spent so much time with her, that I wanted to just plain hang out.
Well, the real story is that I invited Mom to see this show that's a tribute to The Rat Pack, but she didn't want to go, sadly.
Anyway, I went there and just wanted to listen to this jazz band. But as I stood there, a very attractive white woman kept trying to get my attention. Eventually, she just plain old said "Nice band, huh?" So, I walked over to talk to her -- not much of a trip; about six feet in distance.
I had noticed she was with someone, so I really didn't expect anything. The three of us - her name's Rachel and her boyfriend's name is Alex -- had a series of great talks. They're both British, but met here via family members. But there was a woman who would walk over periodically. Her name was Debbie. Now, I thought Debbie was rather attractive, but I was just feeling out the entire situation. Debbie spent a lot of energy talking to Rachel's boyfriend and so much so that -- considering her body language -- I thought she was trying to pick up on him. I even caught her taking a look at me, then rolled her eyes up when I looked at her.
My feeling about Debbie was that she was "hunting" and for white guys. My beef is that some people stupidly judge others by race and based on that determine who's attractive. For example, some African American women tell me I look a bit like Tae Diggs -- moreover, some white and Asian women say that, too.
In my life I've noticed that the more a woman's used to dating black men, the more she makes such comparisons. It's a good gauge.
After I decided to ignore her, Debbie manuevered over next to me. We eventually talked. Debbie's new to the Bay Area, and from Nerw York City. She works for Wells. It turns out that we both know two friends of mine: Frank and Roberta. They've had an on again, off again relationship. So that revalation launched a new conversation. But right in the middle of it, she just turned and started talking to these two white guys standing about six feet away. Frankly, I thought the guys were gay.
I thought Debbie's act was terribly rude, and something only done because she's not interested in me because I'm black. That's not an excusable reason for that. My friend Beth, for example, has a great way of making you feel important, even if she's interested in someone else. A good heart, she has. In that context, Debbie's behavior just plain got me. We were having a great conversation and knew the same people. Then "poof."
Fortunately, Rachel and Alex invited me to join them at a table for dinner. On the way, I said to Debbie -- in front of the two guys -- that she was totally rude. No -- I didn't yell. I just said it very plainly. Then I walked off with Rachel and Alex. They were very supportive, considering we just met. Rachel offered that she struck up a conversation with me because she thought I was attractive. Hey, guys like to have their ego's stroked too, especially by lovely women!
We had a great time with at dinner, and I did give them my card. I hope they stay in touch.
But as we were talking and eating, we would notice Debbie at the bar talking with the two guys. Eventually, they left -- she was alone at the bar. No one came over to talk with her. I thought that was sad. I felt that was God's work. I hope she learned something. Had she been nicer, she could have had a great time with us, and left with new friends instead of being left alone.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Sunday, June 05, 2005
"Confidential" UK Policy Memo on Iraq - Must Read
Read it carefully and note the date. Read it again and again..then pass it on. It has this paragraph:
"C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now
seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justifi ed by the conjunction of ter-
rorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fi xed around the policy. The NSC had no patience
with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record."
---the intelligence and facts were fixed around the policy.
I wonder how this got out into the open?? Why did it take so long?
Well, here you go....
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Secret Downing Street Memo
-----
SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY
DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02
cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Rich-
ards, CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell
IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER’S MEETING, 23 JULY
Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.
This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a
genuine need to know its contents.
John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam’s regime was tough and based on
extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried
and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or over-
whelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale
was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now
seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justifi ed by the conjunction of ter-
rorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fi xed around the policy. The NSC had no patience
with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record. There was little
discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4
August.
The two broad US options were:
(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72 hour) air campaign, then a move up to
Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).
(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus
belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.
The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option.
Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement
were:
(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.
(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.
2
(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering
from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.
The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun “spikes of activity” to put pressure on the regime.
No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was
January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.
The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had
made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam
was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran.
We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would
also help with the legal justifi cation for the use of force.
The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were
three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The fi rst and second
could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be diffi cult. The situation
might of course change.
The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in
the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was produc-
ing the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right,
people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether
we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.
On the fi rst, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing
to ask lots of questions.
For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse
and urban warfi ghting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added
the Defence Secretary.
The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a
winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK
differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play
hard-ball with the UN.
John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of mili-
tary action was real.
The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to
decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It
would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.
Conclusions:
(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a
fuller picture of US planning before we could take any fi rm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we
were considering a range of options.
3
(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this
operation.
(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contri-
butions by the end of the week.
(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly
work up the ultimatum to Saddam.
He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and
of the key EU member states.
(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.
(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal
advisers.
(I have written separately to commission this follow-up work.)
MATTHEW RYCROFT
"C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now
seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justifi ed by the conjunction of ter-
rorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fi xed around the policy. The NSC had no patience
with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record."
---the intelligence and facts were fixed around the policy.
I wonder how this got out into the open?? Why did it take so long?
Well, here you go....
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Secret Downing Street Memo
-----
SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY
DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02
cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Rich-
ards, CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell
IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER’S MEETING, 23 JULY
Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.
This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a
genuine need to know its contents.
John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam’s regime was tough and based on
extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried
and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or over-
whelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale
was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now
seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justifi ed by the conjunction of ter-
rorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fi xed around the policy. The NSC had no patience
with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime’s record. There was little
discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4
August.
The two broad US options were:
(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72 hour) air campaign, then a move up to
Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).
(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus
belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.
The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option.
Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement
were:
(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.
(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.
2
(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering
from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.
The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun “spikes of activity” to put pressure on the regime.
No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was
January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.
The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had
made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam
was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran.
We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would
also help with the legal justifi cation for the use of force.
The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were
three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The fi rst and second
could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be diffi cult. The situation
might of course change.
The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in
the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was produc-
ing the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right,
people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether
we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.
On the fi rst, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing
to ask lots of questions.
For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse
and urban warfi ghting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added
the Defence Secretary.
The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a
winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK
differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play
hard-ball with the UN.
John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of mili-
tary action was real.
The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to
decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It
would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.
Conclusions:
(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a
fuller picture of US planning before we could take any fi rm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we
were considering a range of options.
3
(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this
operation.
(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contri-
butions by the end of the week.
(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly
work up the ultimatum to Saddam.
He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and
of the key EU member states.
(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.
(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal
advisers.
(I have written separately to commission this follow-up work.)
MATTHEW RYCROFT
Zennie's Back Into Blogging
After a long layoff becaue of my stepfather's passing, I'm back in the business of blogging on Zennie's Zeitgeist. My life's changed a lot and I've gained a new perspective because of my stepdad's passing, and my improved relationship with my Dad. My Mom's a gem, and going through a hard time, but she -- and I -- will make it.
You're going to see a post with information that spurred me to re-start the blog. As I write this, I'm watching CNN, and I can;t' tell you how surprised I am that this information is not on their news.
The short version is the discovery of a memo written by a UK policy advisor on June 23, 2002 and about Iraq, Saddam, and the US and UK. It explains:
1) That Iraq's possible WMD supply was LESS than that for Lybia, and other Middle Eastern countries.
2) That US intelligence policy was made to fit around the desire to invade Iraq and remove Saddam. That's not a missprint.
There's more in the next post....
You're going to see a post with information that spurred me to re-start the blog. As I write this, I'm watching CNN, and I can;t' tell you how surprised I am that this information is not on their news.
The short version is the discovery of a memo written by a UK policy advisor on June 23, 2002 and about Iraq, Saddam, and the US and UK. It explains:
1) That Iraq's possible WMD supply was LESS than that for Lybia, and other Middle Eastern countries.
2) That US intelligence policy was made to fit around the desire to invade Iraq and remove Saddam. That's not a missprint.
There's more in the next post....
Saturday, March 19, 2005
The Passing of Chester Yerger Jr. Or a lesson in how Fayette Piedmont Hospital can engineer the death of a loved one.
My stepfather, Chester Yerger Jr. was found to have prostate cancer in 2003. It actually happened in that a blood clot formed in his left leg. He was given a kind of hormonal therapy and released, but with subsequent treatments, or so I am told.
After a few months, the entire problem resurfaced in October -- the blood clot in his leg, but this time two blood clots in his lungs. He was sent to Piedmont hospital, remained for about two weeks, and then sent home. On Thanksgiving he was active and walking, though weak. He used a walker to get around.
On Christmas, he was still weak, and didn't use the walker as much; he was content to sit and watch TV -- a lot of football (GO BEARS!)
Anyway, when I returned in early February, he was still sitting in his chair, but would go to sleep more. His breathing was weird. On February 4th, Mom took him to the hospital where it was found that he had an irregular heartbeat. He was treated for what turned out to be 10 days and released.
Someone talked Mom into having him in a hospice program called Odyssey. But he was only in this home hospice care program for about a week.
When I came to Atlanta - Fayetteville, GA this time on Wednesday March 9th, he was in a special bed set up next to his bed. He was with an oxygen tube. Then, at about 8 PM the night I arrived, he started wheezing and coffing -- as the night wore on, it sounded like he was drowning.
We called the hospice nurse.
She said, "You're watching a person who's dying." (No kidding) She said this four times. "There's nothing you can do."
I disagreed with her and called 911.
They took him to the closest hospital: Fayette-Piedmont Hospital in Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County). Here, they said he had pneumonia.
When Mom and I arrived, the hospital Chaplain came out and we thought the worst. But he was just there to introduce himself. He was with two physicians and two of the ambulance crew and a nurse. They asked us a set of questions regarding what kind of care we wanted for my step dad.
We said that we wanted them to do everything to keep him alive. What was interesting to me is that they asked my Mom this question three times and in three different ways. Had I not been there, and given how upset she was, she might have given three different answers.
Instead, once she understood what they were asking, and with my warning to them to ask the same question and not play “tricks,” she gave them the same answer. Finally, she signed a contract that – we believed – was to bind the hospital to our wish to keep my stepfather alive.
What they did when we first got him here (and placed him in ICU) was to pump the fluid out of his lungs that built up. Then, doctor Larry Vaughn put him on Calodex for the cancer.
What upset me at first was that the Dr. ordered the nurses to take him off the narcotics he had in his system and as they did he shook in pain, with no one other than me and Mom to see him in the room, with no nurse or physician present. So, I went to ask what's going on.
The nurses were not even watching his vital sign monitor.
The nurses said that the physician was evaluating him without the narcs. I said, "Isn't someone supposed to be there to monitor him?" They said "Good point."
So, I personally got the doctor off the phone and had him come in the room. He said, “I’m on a call.” My response was “Five seconds.”
When Dr. Vaughn came into the room, he explained that he needed to take the narcs out to see how the "patient's" resperatory system responded and that sometimes it's better for them to breath without the narcs. I explained that the reason I was questioning him is that his own nurses were saying that he should have been in the room. Dr. Vaughn said -- after a long pause -- "They were being honest."
I also asked for a second cancer opinion. They called in a Doctor Jonathan Bender, MD. But this was not the person I asked for. I requested a Dr. Kamwashi (misspelled name here) He said that there was little that could be done, and that I should look up "Hormone-Resistant Prostate Cancer” So I did -- in fact I collected about 200 pages of information starting on Thursday and through Friday and stayed up until 4 AM Saturday morning.
I called Dr Bender -- who was more concerned that I called his cell phone than what I had to say -- Saturday morning. It was because I found information online about how his condition could be treated, where Bender TOLD ME it was not treatable. Keep that in mind.
See: http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/leibowitz/leib20.html
And: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/aboutus/acomplsh.html
And: http://www.phoenix5.org/advanced/UCSFtreatments.html
What caught my eye was Dr, Leibowitz finding that:
He presented in February 1995 with a PSA of about 2400. He had obvious metastases to bone and lung. He was treated with 13 months of triple hormone blockade, then about 18 months of Proscar maintenance therapy. His PSA was unmeasurable when we stopped triple blockade, and slowly rose on Proscar alone to 23.51. He was treated with "The Magnificent Seven" protocol (triple hormone blockade, Aredia, T/E/D), and his PSA became unmeasurable again. At present, his only medicines are once a month Aredia and daily Proscar maintenance therapy. He is OFF triple blockade; and has been off Taxotere since 12/4/97. His PSA is still unmeasurable, and his testosterone level is returning to normal.
The FDA as a subsititute, I learned, approved Zometa, for Aredia.
When I presented this information to Bender, he claimed that Potite, the first cancer doctor for Chester at Piedmont Hospital, said this was done. They've not seen his medical records, so Bender's only going on what Potite told him.
Finally on Saturday, they got a room ready for him -- Room 337. By Friday and through Saturday, there was improvement by my observation: 1) his arm movements were less frantic 2) he would occasionally eat and talk two sentences each day, not just moaning, 3) there was no wheezing and the drowning sound was gone.
The one problem was constant pain, which caused him to moan and moan. We figured maybe there was not enough pain remedy, so they did give him some. And that seemed to work. I must add that through this entire episode when he arrived at the hospital, he was not talking.
On Saturday, and after continuing treatments to suck the mucus out of his lunges, he would say a few sentences – “Hey Baby” to my Mom, for example. But he also explained in a strained voice where his pain was. First, he said it was all over on Friday. But on Saturday he was more specific. He pointed to his groin and to his leg, where there was a blood clot before. It had not hurt for a while, until after he arrived at the hospital this trip.
But even with that, we left Saturday night with better feeling.
Today, he was -- it seemed better -- he ate for my Mom. I walked in and he raised his hand. But for some reason at about 1 PM he seemed to wheeze again and he would wail his arms, which he does when he’s in pain...,and moan.
Then at 3 PM the moaning continued and he at times looked like he was in a catatonic state, then would come out of it. It turned out that they gave him a new pain patch called Duragesic and placed it on his left upper pec area. There seems to be a correlation between that and his current state.
I just talked to my Mom while writing to this point on Sunday evening; they took the patch off him. He was still in his semi catatonic state.
As I wrote to this point last Sunday March 13th , they had him on antibiotics rocephin and zithromax for his pneumonia; the Calodex was stopped when Dr. Vauhn discovered that my Step Dad’s prostate cancer was hormone-resistant. He learned this from Dr. Bender, but no alternative was applied.
Meanwhile, my stepfather slowly emerged from the state he was in. At points on Sunday night he would follow you around the room with his eyes. I felt there was improvement.
Dr, Vaughn admitted this to me during an argument he and I had over how they were treating my stepfather on Sunday, March 13th. When I asked Dr. Vaughn why my step dad could not talk and why he was in so much pain, he responded haughtily “Have you ever had a cold?”
Not appreciating unstructured and illogical debate, I quickly reminded him that the minor cold in no way compares to pneumonia, which I’ve never had. I explained that all I wanted was data: his blood count is this; it was that, and so on. Instead, what I got from Dr. Vaughn was a rather rambling lecture on God and the scriptures that I did not ask for or need. So, to make him think I agreed and after a heated and draining argument, I just listened to what he said and responded little.
He -- like Bender -- was trying to get me to accept that Chester was going to die. But the point is that they signed an agreement to do everything to keep Chester alive. They were not supposed to give us silly “God v. Science” lectures or not try – which is what they did. And what I got when I asked questions were God and Science lectures most of the time.
Some of the nurses explained that “doctors are God” in the South and don’t like to be questioned. My response was consistently that we were trying to save his life, not kill him – to not ask questions and not try is to kill Chester. By Sunday, and before what happened, I was convinced that they were trying to kill him.
For example, there was a breath treatment that Dr. Vaughn had ordered to be administered every 4 hours and as needed at night. I calculated that his mucus would accumulate to a point where it impacted his breathing every 2 hours and 23 minutes. After my and Mom’s constant calling for treatment, the mucus buildup slowed to 2 hours and 45 minutes by Sunday. A clear sign of improvement.
But on Monday, two things happened, both tragic and hospital actions. Dr. Bender ordered his antibiotics stopped, and his breathing treatment frequency was just “as needed” – with the argument that they were not working. They were working.
But what the hospital tried to do all along was push him over the cliff. In other words they tried to kill him, and developed a rationale for doing so.
They figured that we weren’t’ going to question them. In fact, Dr. Bender asked my Mom what I thought – even though I wasn’t in the room. I later informed him that my feeling – that Chester could be saved and given a longer life, even if he lives just for another month – remained. Neither he nor Larry Vaughn had convinced me. I told them that we wanted Chester to live and if we had another week or month, great. At least try.
The doctors not only didn’t try, but also gave some of the dumbest reasons for not trying. Like his age of 82 – so what? The contract we had with the hospital directed them TO SAVE CHESTER, not play the debate game with their patients, or their patients' loved ones like me and Mom.
In fact, it was getting to the point where I simply didn’t like Dr. Bender and to reflect this, I would only call him John. Not doctor. John seemed to have an argument – and not a good one – for everything. What really pissed me off and sent up my red flag was his assertion that the previous doctor “tried all of that” I mentioned in the research I uncovered, even as he admitted he didn’t see Chester’s medical records. He was just trying to cover for Dr. Potite. Trying to save his ass.
I was more certain than ever that they were trying to kill him. To get Chester out of what was going to be a long hospital stay. So, by Tuesday, I was trying like heck to get another cancer doctor involved and get Bender off the case. But by then, the doctors informed Mom that Chester wasn’t going to make it.
Strangely, I had a dream that if we placed Vick’s Vapor Rub on his chest that it would loosen his mucus and help clear his lungs – much as was done for me when I had terminal asthma as a small boy. So, I left for the hospital to help Mom (in fact, I felt like I lived at the hospital) and when I got there, asked the nurses for Vick’s. They didn’t have any.
But they did encourage me – the nurses – to go and get some. So I did. I applied it while Mom covered his chest with towels. And by nighfall, it worked. I got the suction tube, and got the stuff out of his mouth, and with his help. Chester knew what we were trying to do and would try and – with his weakened condition – spit out what he could. But he could barely eat.
On, on eating. He could not chew with ease let alone swallow. He would hold the food at the roof of his mouth. So, to get him to eat, we ordered his food pureed – we Mom and I, not the doctors. Then later we asked them to give him food via some kind of injection. Remember this is part of the contract of keeping him alive.
They were either slow to do this on the weekend, or did it on Wednesday March 16th --- and after his condition had worsened via the hospital’s other actions of taking away his antibiotics and breathing treatments. Both of which we asked to be reapplied. That was enough to push him over the edge.
But the final last straw was after they said he wasn’t going to make it. I got on the plane to come back to California – unsuccessful at getting a flight out later the following week so I could stay.
As soon as my plane landed in San Francisco, I got a call from Mom that he was still alive and now he had a fever, which the hospital declined to treat. For me that was it. I called the hospital and said to explain to Dr. Bender that if he so much as stepped near my step dad, I was going to have him arrested.
Then, about three hours later, Mom called and told me Chester passed away.
For me, the best satisfaction is the legal and binding punishment of Fayette Piedmont Hospital in the name of Chester H. Yerger Jr.
After a few months, the entire problem resurfaced in October -- the blood clot in his leg, but this time two blood clots in his lungs. He was sent to Piedmont hospital, remained for about two weeks, and then sent home. On Thanksgiving he was active and walking, though weak. He used a walker to get around.
On Christmas, he was still weak, and didn't use the walker as much; he was content to sit and watch TV -- a lot of football (GO BEARS!)
Anyway, when I returned in early February, he was still sitting in his chair, but would go to sleep more. His breathing was weird. On February 4th, Mom took him to the hospital where it was found that he had an irregular heartbeat. He was treated for what turned out to be 10 days and released.
Someone talked Mom into having him in a hospice program called Odyssey. But he was only in this home hospice care program for about a week.
When I came to Atlanta - Fayetteville, GA this time on Wednesday March 9th, he was in a special bed set up next to his bed. He was with an oxygen tube. Then, at about 8 PM the night I arrived, he started wheezing and coffing -- as the night wore on, it sounded like he was drowning.
We called the hospice nurse.
She said, "You're watching a person who's dying." (No kidding) She said this four times. "There's nothing you can do."
I disagreed with her and called 911.
They took him to the closest hospital: Fayette-Piedmont Hospital in Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County). Here, they said he had pneumonia.
When Mom and I arrived, the hospital Chaplain came out and we thought the worst. But he was just there to introduce himself. He was with two physicians and two of the ambulance crew and a nurse. They asked us a set of questions regarding what kind of care we wanted for my step dad.
We said that we wanted them to do everything to keep him alive. What was interesting to me is that they asked my Mom this question three times and in three different ways. Had I not been there, and given how upset she was, she might have given three different answers.
Instead, once she understood what they were asking, and with my warning to them to ask the same question and not play “tricks,” she gave them the same answer. Finally, she signed a contract that – we believed – was to bind the hospital to our wish to keep my stepfather alive.
What they did when we first got him here (and placed him in ICU) was to pump the fluid out of his lungs that built up. Then, doctor Larry Vaughn put him on Calodex for the cancer.
What upset me at first was that the Dr. ordered the nurses to take him off the narcotics he had in his system and as they did he shook in pain, with no one other than me and Mom to see him in the room, with no nurse or physician present. So, I went to ask what's going on.
The nurses were not even watching his vital sign monitor.
The nurses said that the physician was evaluating him without the narcs. I said, "Isn't someone supposed to be there to monitor him?" They said "Good point."
So, I personally got the doctor off the phone and had him come in the room. He said, “I’m on a call.” My response was “Five seconds.”
When Dr. Vaughn came into the room, he explained that he needed to take the narcs out to see how the "patient's" resperatory system responded and that sometimes it's better for them to breath without the narcs. I explained that the reason I was questioning him is that his own nurses were saying that he should have been in the room. Dr. Vaughn said -- after a long pause -- "They were being honest."
I also asked for a second cancer opinion. They called in a Doctor Jonathan Bender, MD. But this was not the person I asked for. I requested a Dr. Kamwashi (misspelled name here) He said that there was little that could be done, and that I should look up "Hormone-Resistant Prostate Cancer” So I did -- in fact I collected about 200 pages of information starting on Thursday and through Friday and stayed up until 4 AM Saturday morning.
I called Dr Bender -- who was more concerned that I called his cell phone than what I had to say -- Saturday morning. It was because I found information online about how his condition could be treated, where Bender TOLD ME it was not treatable. Keep that in mind.
See: http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/leibowitz/leib20.html
And: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/aboutus/acomplsh.html
And: http://www.phoenix5.org/advanced/UCSFtreatments.html
What caught my eye was Dr, Leibowitz finding that:
He presented in February 1995 with a PSA of about 2400. He had obvious metastases to bone and lung. He was treated with 13 months of triple hormone blockade, then about 18 months of Proscar maintenance therapy. His PSA was unmeasurable when we stopped triple blockade, and slowly rose on Proscar alone to 23.51. He was treated with "The Magnificent Seven" protocol (triple hormone blockade, Aredia, T/E/D), and his PSA became unmeasurable again. At present, his only medicines are once a month Aredia and daily Proscar maintenance therapy. He is OFF triple blockade; and has been off Taxotere since 12/4/97. His PSA is still unmeasurable, and his testosterone level is returning to normal.
The FDA as a subsititute, I learned, approved Zometa, for Aredia.
When I presented this information to Bender, he claimed that Potite, the first cancer doctor for Chester at Piedmont Hospital, said this was done. They've not seen his medical records, so Bender's only going on what Potite told him.
Finally on Saturday, they got a room ready for him -- Room 337. By Friday and through Saturday, there was improvement by my observation: 1) his arm movements were less frantic 2) he would occasionally eat and talk two sentences each day, not just moaning, 3) there was no wheezing and the drowning sound was gone.
The one problem was constant pain, which caused him to moan and moan. We figured maybe there was not enough pain remedy, so they did give him some. And that seemed to work. I must add that through this entire episode when he arrived at the hospital, he was not talking.
On Saturday, and after continuing treatments to suck the mucus out of his lunges, he would say a few sentences – “Hey Baby” to my Mom, for example. But he also explained in a strained voice where his pain was. First, he said it was all over on Friday. But on Saturday he was more specific. He pointed to his groin and to his leg, where there was a blood clot before. It had not hurt for a while, until after he arrived at the hospital this trip.
But even with that, we left Saturday night with better feeling.
Today, he was -- it seemed better -- he ate for my Mom. I walked in and he raised his hand. But for some reason at about 1 PM he seemed to wheeze again and he would wail his arms, which he does when he’s in pain...,and moan.
Then at 3 PM the moaning continued and he at times looked like he was in a catatonic state, then would come out of it. It turned out that they gave him a new pain patch called Duragesic and placed it on his left upper pec area. There seems to be a correlation between that and his current state.
I just talked to my Mom while writing to this point on Sunday evening; they took the patch off him. He was still in his semi catatonic state.
As I wrote to this point last Sunday March 13th , they had him on antibiotics rocephin and zithromax for his pneumonia; the Calodex was stopped when Dr. Vauhn discovered that my Step Dad’s prostate cancer was hormone-resistant. He learned this from Dr. Bender, but no alternative was applied.
Meanwhile, my stepfather slowly emerged from the state he was in. At points on Sunday night he would follow you around the room with his eyes. I felt there was improvement.
Dr, Vaughn admitted this to me during an argument he and I had over how they were treating my stepfather on Sunday, March 13th. When I asked Dr. Vaughn why my step dad could not talk and why he was in so much pain, he responded haughtily “Have you ever had a cold?”
Not appreciating unstructured and illogical debate, I quickly reminded him that the minor cold in no way compares to pneumonia, which I’ve never had. I explained that all I wanted was data: his blood count is this; it was that, and so on. Instead, what I got from Dr. Vaughn was a rather rambling lecture on God and the scriptures that I did not ask for or need. So, to make him think I agreed and after a heated and draining argument, I just listened to what he said and responded little.
He -- like Bender -- was trying to get me to accept that Chester was going to die. But the point is that they signed an agreement to do everything to keep Chester alive. They were not supposed to give us silly “God v. Science” lectures or not try – which is what they did. And what I got when I asked questions were God and Science lectures most of the time.
Some of the nurses explained that “doctors are God” in the South and don’t like to be questioned. My response was consistently that we were trying to save his life, not kill him – to not ask questions and not try is to kill Chester. By Sunday, and before what happened, I was convinced that they were trying to kill him.
For example, there was a breath treatment that Dr. Vaughn had ordered to be administered every 4 hours and as needed at night. I calculated that his mucus would accumulate to a point where it impacted his breathing every 2 hours and 23 minutes. After my and Mom’s constant calling for treatment, the mucus buildup slowed to 2 hours and 45 minutes by Sunday. A clear sign of improvement.
But on Monday, two things happened, both tragic and hospital actions. Dr. Bender ordered his antibiotics stopped, and his breathing treatment frequency was just “as needed” – with the argument that they were not working. They were working.
But what the hospital tried to do all along was push him over the cliff. In other words they tried to kill him, and developed a rationale for doing so.
They figured that we weren’t’ going to question them. In fact, Dr. Bender asked my Mom what I thought – even though I wasn’t in the room. I later informed him that my feeling – that Chester could be saved and given a longer life, even if he lives just for another month – remained. Neither he nor Larry Vaughn had convinced me. I told them that we wanted Chester to live and if we had another week or month, great. At least try.
The doctors not only didn’t try, but also gave some of the dumbest reasons for not trying. Like his age of 82 – so what? The contract we had with the hospital directed them TO SAVE CHESTER, not play the debate game with their patients, or their patients' loved ones like me and Mom.
In fact, it was getting to the point where I simply didn’t like Dr. Bender and to reflect this, I would only call him John. Not doctor. John seemed to have an argument – and not a good one – for everything. What really pissed me off and sent up my red flag was his assertion that the previous doctor “tried all of that” I mentioned in the research I uncovered, even as he admitted he didn’t see Chester’s medical records. He was just trying to cover for Dr. Potite. Trying to save his ass.
I was more certain than ever that they were trying to kill him. To get Chester out of what was going to be a long hospital stay. So, by Tuesday, I was trying like heck to get another cancer doctor involved and get Bender off the case. But by then, the doctors informed Mom that Chester wasn’t going to make it.
Strangely, I had a dream that if we placed Vick’s Vapor Rub on his chest that it would loosen his mucus and help clear his lungs – much as was done for me when I had terminal asthma as a small boy. So, I left for the hospital to help Mom (in fact, I felt like I lived at the hospital) and when I got there, asked the nurses for Vick’s. They didn’t have any.
But they did encourage me – the nurses – to go and get some. So I did. I applied it while Mom covered his chest with towels. And by nighfall, it worked. I got the suction tube, and got the stuff out of his mouth, and with his help. Chester knew what we were trying to do and would try and – with his weakened condition – spit out what he could. But he could barely eat.
On, on eating. He could not chew with ease let alone swallow. He would hold the food at the roof of his mouth. So, to get him to eat, we ordered his food pureed – we Mom and I, not the doctors. Then later we asked them to give him food via some kind of injection. Remember this is part of the contract of keeping him alive.
They were either slow to do this on the weekend, or did it on Wednesday March 16th --- and after his condition had worsened via the hospital’s other actions of taking away his antibiotics and breathing treatments. Both of which we asked to be reapplied. That was enough to push him over the edge.
But the final last straw was after they said he wasn’t going to make it. I got on the plane to come back to California – unsuccessful at getting a flight out later the following week so I could stay.
As soon as my plane landed in San Francisco, I got a call from Mom that he was still alive and now he had a fever, which the hospital declined to treat. For me that was it. I called the hospital and said to explain to Dr. Bender that if he so much as stepped near my step dad, I was going to have him arrested.
Then, about three hours later, Mom called and told me Chester passed away.
For me, the best satisfaction is the legal and binding punishment of Fayette Piedmont Hospital in the name of Chester H. Yerger Jr.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
My Stepfather's Prostate Cancer / Pneumonia Problem - HELP!!!
I sent this e-mail to my friend at UCSF, but if anyone reading this is a prostate cancer specialist please reply ASAP! Thanks, Zennie
Hi AJ,
Thanks for the call. Let me see if I can explain what has happened and give you a full picture.
Chester Yerger Jr. was found to have prostate cancer in 2003. It actually happened in that a blod clot formed in his left leg. He was given a kind of hormonal therapy and released, but with subsequent treatments, or so I am told.
After a few months, the entire problem resurfaced in October -- the blod clot in his leg, but this time two blod clots in his lungs. He was sent to Piedmont hospital in Atlanta, remained for about two weeks, then sent home. On Thanksgiving he was active and walking, though weak. He used a walker to get around.
On Christmas, he was still weak, and didn't use the walker as much; he was content to sit and watch TV -- a lot of football (GO BEARS!)
Anyway, when I returned in early February, he was still sitting in his chair, but would go to sleep more. His breathing was weird. On February 4th, Mom took him to the hospital where it was found that he had an irregular heartbeat. He was treated for what turned out to be 10 days and released.
Someone talked Mom into having him in a hospise program called Odessey. When I came to Atlanta - Fayetteville, GA this time, he was in a special bed set up next to his bed. He was with an oxygen tube. Then, at about 8 PM the night I arrived, he started wheesing and coffing -- as the night wore on, it sounded like he was drowning.
We called the hospise nurse.
She said that "You're watching a person who's dying." (No kidding) She said this four times. "There's nothing you can do."
I disagreed with her and called 911.
They took him to the closest hospital: Fayette-Piedmont Hospital in Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County). Here, they said he had pneumonia.
What they did when we first got him here (and placed him in ICU) was to pump the fluid out of his lungs that built up. Then, doctor Larry Vauhn put him on Calodex for the cancer.
What upset me at first was that the Dr. ordered the nurses to take him off the narcotics he had in his system and as they did he shook in pain, with no one other than me and Mom to see him in the room. So, I went to ask what's going on.
The nurses said that the physician was evaluating him without the narcs. I said "Isn't someone supposed to be there to monitor him?" They said "Good point."
So, I personally got the doctor off the phone and had him come in.
I also asked for a second cancer opinion. They called in a Doctor Johnathan Bender, MD. He said that there was little that could be done, and that I should look up "Hormone-Resistant Prostate Cancer" So I did -- in fact I collected about 200 pages of information.
I called Dr Bender -- who was more concerned that I called his cell phone than what I had to say -- Saturday morning. It was because I found information online about how his condition could be treated, where Bender TOLD ME it was not treatable.
See: http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/leibowitz/leib20.html
And: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/aboutus/acomplsh.html
And: http://www.phoenix5.org/advanced/UCSFtreatments.html
What caught my eye was Dr, Leibowitz finding that:
"He presented in February 1995 with a PSA of about 2400. He had obvious metastases to bone and lung. He was treated with 13 months of triple hormone blockade, then about 18 months of Proscar maintenance therapy. His PSA was unmeasurable when we stopped triple blockade, and slowly rose on Proscar alone to 23.51. He was treated with "The Magnificent Seven" protocol (triple hormone blockade, Aredia, T/E/D), and his PSA became unmeasurable again. At present, his only medicines are once a month Aredia and daily Proscar maintenance therapy. He is OFF triple blockade; and has been off Taxotere since 12/4/97. His PSA is still unmeasurable, and his testosterone level is returning to normal."
Zometa, I learned, is was approved by the FDA as a subsititute for Aredia.
When I presented this information to Bender, he claimed that Petit, the first cancer doctor, said this was done. They've not seen his medical records, so Bender's only going on what Petit told him.
Finally on Saturday, they got a room ready for him -- Room 337. By Friday and through Saturday, there was improvement by my observation: 1) his arm movements were less frantic 2) he would occasionally eat and talk two sentences each day, not just moaning, 3) there was no wheesing and the drowning sound was gone.
The one problem was constant pain, which caused him to moan and moan. We figured maybe there was not enough pain remedy, so they did give him some.and that seemed to work.
So, we left Saturday night with better feeling.
Today, he was -- it seemed better -- he ate for my Mom. I walked in and he raised his hand. But for some reason at about 1 PM he seemed to wheese again and he would wail his arms which he does when he's in pain...and moan.
Then at 3 PM the moaning continued and he at times looked like he was in a catatonic state, then would come out of it. It turned out that they gave him a new pain patch called Duragesic and placed it on his left upper pec area. There seems to be a coorelation between that and his current state.
I just talked to my Mom; they took the patch off him. He's still in his semi catatonic state.
As I write this, they have him on antibotics rocephin and zithromax for his pneumonia; the Calodex was stopped when Dr. Vauhn discovered that my StepDad's prostate cancer was hormone-resistant. He learned this from Dr. Bender, but no alternative was applied.
Thanks again, so very much!
Hi AJ,
Thanks for the call. Let me see if I can explain what has happened and give you a full picture.
Chester Yerger Jr. was found to have prostate cancer in 2003. It actually happened in that a blod clot formed in his left leg. He was given a kind of hormonal therapy and released, but with subsequent treatments, or so I am told.
After a few months, the entire problem resurfaced in October -- the blod clot in his leg, but this time two blod clots in his lungs. He was sent to Piedmont hospital in Atlanta, remained for about two weeks, then sent home. On Thanksgiving he was active and walking, though weak. He used a walker to get around.
On Christmas, he was still weak, and didn't use the walker as much; he was content to sit and watch TV -- a lot of football (GO BEARS!)
Anyway, when I returned in early February, he was still sitting in his chair, but would go to sleep more. His breathing was weird. On February 4th, Mom took him to the hospital where it was found that he had an irregular heartbeat. He was treated for what turned out to be 10 days and released.
Someone talked Mom into having him in a hospise program called Odessey. When I came to Atlanta - Fayetteville, GA this time, he was in a special bed set up next to his bed. He was with an oxygen tube. Then, at about 8 PM the night I arrived, he started wheesing and coffing -- as the night wore on, it sounded like he was drowning.
We called the hospise nurse.
She said that "You're watching a person who's dying." (No kidding) She said this four times. "There's nothing you can do."
I disagreed with her and called 911.
They took him to the closest hospital: Fayette-Piedmont Hospital in Fayetteville, GA (Fayette County). Here, they said he had pneumonia.
What they did when we first got him here (and placed him in ICU) was to pump the fluid out of his lungs that built up. Then, doctor Larry Vauhn put him on Calodex for the cancer.
What upset me at first was that the Dr. ordered the nurses to take him off the narcotics he had in his system and as they did he shook in pain, with no one other than me and Mom to see him in the room. So, I went to ask what's going on.
The nurses said that the physician was evaluating him without the narcs. I said "Isn't someone supposed to be there to monitor him?" They said "Good point."
So, I personally got the doctor off the phone and had him come in.
I also asked for a second cancer opinion. They called in a Doctor Johnathan Bender, MD. He said that there was little that could be done, and that I should look up "Hormone-Resistant Prostate Cancer" So I did -- in fact I collected about 200 pages of information.
I called Dr Bender -- who was more concerned that I called his cell phone than what I had to say -- Saturday morning. It was because I found information online about how his condition could be treated, where Bender TOLD ME it was not treatable.
See: http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/leibowitz/leib20.html
And: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/aboutus/acomplsh.html
And: http://www.phoenix5.org/advanced/UCSFtreatments.html
What caught my eye was Dr, Leibowitz finding that:
"He presented in February 1995 with a PSA of about 2400. He had obvious metastases to bone and lung. He was treated with 13 months of triple hormone blockade, then about 18 months of Proscar maintenance therapy. His PSA was unmeasurable when we stopped triple blockade, and slowly rose on Proscar alone to 23.51. He was treated with "The Magnificent Seven" protocol (triple hormone blockade, Aredia, T/E/D), and his PSA became unmeasurable again. At present, his only medicines are once a month Aredia and daily Proscar maintenance therapy. He is OFF triple blockade; and has been off Taxotere since 12/4/97. His PSA is still unmeasurable, and his testosterone level is returning to normal."
Zometa, I learned, is was approved by the FDA as a subsititute for Aredia.
When I presented this information to Bender, he claimed that Petit, the first cancer doctor, said this was done. They've not seen his medical records, so Bender's only going on what Petit told him.
Finally on Saturday, they got a room ready for him -- Room 337. By Friday and through Saturday, there was improvement by my observation: 1) his arm movements were less frantic 2) he would occasionally eat and talk two sentences each day, not just moaning, 3) there was no wheesing and the drowning sound was gone.
The one problem was constant pain, which caused him to moan and moan. We figured maybe there was not enough pain remedy, so they did give him some.and that seemed to work.
So, we left Saturday night with better feeling.
Today, he was -- it seemed better -- he ate for my Mom. I walked in and he raised his hand. But for some reason at about 1 PM he seemed to wheese again and he would wail his arms which he does when he's in pain...and moan.
Then at 3 PM the moaning continued and he at times looked like he was in a catatonic state, then would come out of it. It turned out that they gave him a new pain patch called Duragesic and placed it on his left upper pec area. There seems to be a coorelation between that and his current state.
I just talked to my Mom; they took the patch off him. He's still in his semi catatonic state.
As I write this, they have him on antibotics rocephin and zithromax for his pneumonia; the Calodex was stopped when Dr. Vauhn discovered that my StepDad's prostate cancer was hormone-resistant. He learned this from Dr. Bender, but no alternative was applied.
Thanks again, so very much!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
...But I have been working!
Running an Internet business means I stay online a lot. Even with my folks' illnesses, I have found time to add new pages to Sports Business Simulations' website.
SBS also has a new Sim Development Advisory Board, with Dan Rascher my business partner and prof at the University of San Francisco, and top sports economists Rod Fort of Washington State, and Andrew Zimbalist of Smith College.
You can also buy and sell tickets to the Washington Nationals baseball games..that's a new page
Finally, I've updated the SBS business plan and gotten inquiries from three venture capitalists so far. We're working to raise up to $3 million in this second round. We raised $42,500 for the first round.
SBS also has a new Sim Development Advisory Board, with Dan Rascher my business partner and prof at the University of San Francisco, and top sports economists Rod Fort of Washington State, and Andrew Zimbalist of Smith College.
You can also buy and sell tickets to the Washington Nationals baseball games..that's a new page
Finally, I've updated the SBS business plan and gotten inquiries from three venture capitalists so far. We're working to raise up to $3 million in this second round. We raised $42,500 for the first round.
Dad, Stepdad, and Mom with Cancer - Walmart Not Good to My Dad
After a long day of a lot of research, help and great advice, I found and talked to my father. He's at a rest home in Niles, Illinois and was working at the Walmart last year before this happened. He fell right on his head which may have triggered the problem. Anyway, I could not have done this without a little help and a lot of encouragement from a lot of people who sent e-mail and called. Thanks.
What happened was that his number was not working, after I called and then that number was suddenly unpublished. Well, I did contact the state of Illinois, they gave me a list of possible places he might be. So, I called them one by one and finally found Manor Care. He had been discharged from there and to a new home in Niles. He has Dimensia and so when I talked to him, thank God he remembered me (this is all new to me) and was concerned about my Mom who is recovering from Breast Cancer, so I told him about what was going on with her.
I also talked to him about my Stepdad, who has advancec prostate cancer and has been given months to live. He's in a lot of pain and that is something I wish -- there's got to be some way to help him.
Anyway, Dad thinks he's working in a plant on a Motor of some kind, and that's fine. I have to read about this and learn about what it means to have a family member with this kind of problem. I appreciate any insight. So, I'm planning to fly to Atlanta for her on Wednesday of this week and then Chicago to see him in April.
This has been a rough period for me. What helps is the friends that have bothered to check in and see how I'm doing. I've learned -- sadly -- that some people are not friends and that while I know a lot of people, few of them are there when it counts.
As for my Dad, finding him has put me in touch with the oldest of my half-sisters I've not yet met in person. Amanda's 19 years old and has been going through Dad's illness literally alone. Plus, even though the Walmart Rolling Meadows HR director, Paula (don't have her last name) told me that my Dad's head injury was gotten while working at Walmart, they've not given him one dime.
Something's wrong with that, right?
What gets me in this entire episode, is just how terrible people can be to each other. Walmart could do better.
What happened was that his number was not working, after I called and then that number was suddenly unpublished. Well, I did contact the state of Illinois, they gave me a list of possible places he might be. So, I called them one by one and finally found Manor Care. He had been discharged from there and to a new home in Niles. He has Dimensia and so when I talked to him, thank God he remembered me (this is all new to me) and was concerned about my Mom who is recovering from Breast Cancer, so I told him about what was going on with her.
I also talked to him about my Stepdad, who has advancec prostate cancer and has been given months to live. He's in a lot of pain and that is something I wish -- there's got to be some way to help him.
Anyway, Dad thinks he's working in a plant on a Motor of some kind, and that's fine. I have to read about this and learn about what it means to have a family member with this kind of problem. I appreciate any insight. So, I'm planning to fly to Atlanta for her on Wednesday of this week and then Chicago to see him in April.
This has been a rough period for me. What helps is the friends that have bothered to check in and see how I'm doing. I've learned -- sadly -- that some people are not friends and that while I know a lot of people, few of them are there when it counts.
As for my Dad, finding him has put me in touch with the oldest of my half-sisters I've not yet met in person. Amanda's 19 years old and has been going through Dad's illness literally alone. Plus, even though the Walmart Rolling Meadows HR director, Paula (don't have her last name) told me that my Dad's head injury was gotten while working at Walmart, they've not given him one dime.
Something's wrong with that, right?
What gets me in this entire episode, is just how terrible people can be to each other. Walmart could do better.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
BREAKING NEWS! Oakland's Uptown Housing Project - Developer Forest City Asks for $11 Million more in subsidy!!!!
While eating with a friend who's a local developer (and that's all I'll tell) I learned this Wednesday evening that a centerpiece of Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown's so-called effort to revitalize what was once Oakland's theater district is in trouble.
The 400-unit "Uptown Housing Project" approved by the Oakland City Coucil last year and to be built on part of a 19-acre tract of land that was the focal point of a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics, needs $11 million more in public money over and above the $61 million subsidy that was approved by the City Council.
This is a project I was against and have been against. The best use for the 19 acres is for a new baseball stadium, downtown, for the Oakland A's. Everyone knows and understands this, and land use consultants hired to produce a study analyzing the best land choice for a new stadium for the Athletics, pointed to this great open land opportunity right in the middle of the north portion of Oakland's downtown.
But on June 12th, 2002, at about 12:35 PM, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown said "There's not going to be a downtown stadium as long as I'm (blank) Mayor of this down."
Well, Jerry, your time's running out. What I predicted -- that the developer, Forest City's subsidy request would just continue and go up and up -- has proven to be true. As a person who focused on the Uptown District while serving as Economic Advisor to Mayor Elihu Harris, every developer I have worked with and who's proposed a project there has tried to "lowball" their cost estimates to win the right build from the Oakland City Council. I never believed Forest City would be a different case.
I'd like to see the collective faces of the Oakland Economic Development people now. The ones who said that the subsidy would hold and that this was money well spent given the economic impact. Yep, the person had the nerve to make that statement given that the subsidy was at $41 million in 2002, then $61 million in 2003, and now $72 million in 2005. Wow. Someone's really trying to sell a project that's not worth touching.
I wrote it then in an e-mail battle with an undermanned Oakland Economic Development staffer, and I state it now: the project's not the highest and best use for that prime downtown real estate.
It's smack in the middle of Oakland and the Bay Area and served by three freeways and two major BART stations just one block away and four blocks respectively. One block in the case of 19th Street BART Station! Plus, it's just a 15 minute walk to Lake Merritt.
Plus, Jerry Brown's letting the dream of a real live "Times Square" center downtown drain under the weighty combination of his ego and frank lack of knoweldge of good urban planning.
Right now the total subsidy stands not at $61 million, but at $72 million. I'll tell you what. It's not going to stop there. It will get to over $100 million before the Oakland City Council is forced to drop the project.
Spending that much on housing is just not smart.
I worked for several years on a great plan to re-create Oakland's Uptown Area. I am also the one who originally brought Forest City to Oakland and not to do a dinky housing project, but to remake the entire area in a fashion not unlike Times Square and in line with that area's history as an entertainment district. Sports is a form of entertainment. The Plan caled for a large scale shopping center where this housing is slated to be built. But either retail or the baseball stadium with retail is better than yet another housing project.
I told Jerry this in 1998 and in 1999, but he can't seem to listen to get it: a downtown plan is a complex mix of land uses and strategies -- just adding 10,000 people to the downtown's not going to solve it's problems. Even if they live there, they can just hop BART to go to Union Square in San Francisco or SBC Park.
You see where I'm going with this.
The City Council should drop the housing project and bring the Oakland A's downtown where they belong.
The 400-unit "Uptown Housing Project" approved by the Oakland City Coucil last year and to be built on part of a 19-acre tract of land that was the focal point of a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics, needs $11 million more in public money over and above the $61 million subsidy that was approved by the City Council.
This is a project I was against and have been against. The best use for the 19 acres is for a new baseball stadium, downtown, for the Oakland A's. Everyone knows and understands this, and land use consultants hired to produce a study analyzing the best land choice for a new stadium for the Athletics, pointed to this great open land opportunity right in the middle of the north portion of Oakland's downtown.
But on June 12th, 2002, at about 12:35 PM, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown said "There's not going to be a downtown stadium as long as I'm (blank) Mayor of this down."
Well, Jerry, your time's running out. What I predicted -- that the developer, Forest City's subsidy request would just continue and go up and up -- has proven to be true. As a person who focused on the Uptown District while serving as Economic Advisor to Mayor Elihu Harris, every developer I have worked with and who's proposed a project there has tried to "lowball" their cost estimates to win the right build from the Oakland City Council. I never believed Forest City would be a different case.
I'd like to see the collective faces of the Oakland Economic Development people now. The ones who said that the subsidy would hold and that this was money well spent given the economic impact. Yep, the person had the nerve to make that statement given that the subsidy was at $41 million in 2002, then $61 million in 2003, and now $72 million in 2005. Wow. Someone's really trying to sell a project that's not worth touching.
I wrote it then in an e-mail battle with an undermanned Oakland Economic Development staffer, and I state it now: the project's not the highest and best use for that prime downtown real estate.
It's smack in the middle of Oakland and the Bay Area and served by three freeways and two major BART stations just one block away and four blocks respectively. One block in the case of 19th Street BART Station! Plus, it's just a 15 minute walk to Lake Merritt.
Plus, Jerry Brown's letting the dream of a real live "Times Square" center downtown drain under the weighty combination of his ego and frank lack of knoweldge of good urban planning.
Right now the total subsidy stands not at $61 million, but at $72 million. I'll tell you what. It's not going to stop there. It will get to over $100 million before the Oakland City Council is forced to drop the project.
Spending that much on housing is just not smart.
I worked for several years on a great plan to re-create Oakland's Uptown Area. I am also the one who originally brought Forest City to Oakland and not to do a dinky housing project, but to remake the entire area in a fashion not unlike Times Square and in line with that area's history as an entertainment district. Sports is a form of entertainment. The Plan caled for a large scale shopping center where this housing is slated to be built. But either retail or the baseball stadium with retail is better than yet another housing project.
I told Jerry this in 1998 and in 1999, but he can't seem to listen to get it: a downtown plan is a complex mix of land uses and strategies -- just adding 10,000 people to the downtown's not going to solve it's problems. Even if they live there, they can just hop BART to go to Union Square in San Francisco or SBC Park.
You see where I'm going with this.
The City Council should drop the housing project and bring the Oakland A's downtown where they belong.
Vikings WR Randy Moss Traded to the Raiders
This is one of the best trades in the NFL's 21st Century. Randy Moss has 90 Touchdowns and is a constant threat to catch the ball for a big play on every down.
The Vikings made a massive mistake in letting him go...or did they? Perhaps, given that he's a seven-year veteran and has been injured, the Vikings may feel that he's seen his best years.
I personally doubt it.
I've always believed that Randy Moss was never placed in an offense that fully showcased his abilities. The Raiders have the chance to draw up a new set of plays to isolate him against defensive backs and (yes) linebackers.
But if the Raiders can't stop anyone, then the trade's value from an organizational success perspective is lessened.
More on this later.
The Vikings made a massive mistake in letting him go...or did they? Perhaps, given that he's a seven-year veteran and has been injured, the Vikings may feel that he's seen his best years.
I personally doubt it.
I've always believed that Randy Moss was never placed in an offense that fully showcased his abilities. The Raiders have the chance to draw up a new set of plays to isolate him against defensive backs and (yes) linebackers.
But if the Raiders can't stop anyone, then the trade's value from an organizational success perspective is lessened.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Jerry Brown's Disservice to Oakland - Part 1
I had to write this, or at least get it started, while it's on my mind. Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown has failed his city. Jerry has used the City to bring attention only to himself, and has no real notable victories to crow about.
I write this because the San Francisco Bay Area media gives him a free pass. For example, the San Francisco Chronicle had an extensive interview on him in the middle of last year. But it only focused on the issue of crime and how the rate of crime had decreased. I don't credit Jerry for that. I say he's the happy receipient of changing demographics: an overall older population that's less likely to go out and cause trouble than was the case of the 80s. Plus, Oakland, like every part of the Bay Area, is more expensive to live in, squeezing out the less fortunate who are more likely to commit violent public crimes. It's also more diverse, and the rate of black on black crime, the main problem in Oakland, has decreased as poor African Americans have moved out and more moneyed blacks and Asians and whites and Latinos have come in over the past 10 years.
The Chronicle didn't ask Jerry about the failure to redevelop Oakland's downtown. Or the overall lack of revenue generators to fill government coffers and close the city's massive budget deficit. Or the terrible morale of workers in the City of Oakland. None of that hit the article, making it one of the worst I've ever seen in my years in the Bay Area.
So, Jerry gets away with murder. Literally the murder of the city's image as he uses the crime issue to bolster his campaign for California Attorney General. See the connection? Oakland comes off looking like this bad city he tried to save, but it's too hard to do so, and so he takes off from the City to be a state official locking up the bad people. Right. Meanwhile, he leaves a lot of undone and unfinished work. Foremost is Oakland's image.
When Jerry was campaigning in 1998, someone said he would do this: come into the office and really not do much. Some Oaklanders are so blinded by his celebrity they can't think straight.
In my next post, I'll explain why Jerry came into power and the vast set of mistakes he's made while here.
I'll bet this: if he's elected AG, he'll leave Oakland. A carpetbagger who does not care about Oakland. That's typical of our city. We give the most respect to those who care the least.
Geez.
I write this because the San Francisco Bay Area media gives him a free pass. For example, the San Francisco Chronicle had an extensive interview on him in the middle of last year. But it only focused on the issue of crime and how the rate of crime had decreased. I don't credit Jerry for that. I say he's the happy receipient of changing demographics: an overall older population that's less likely to go out and cause trouble than was the case of the 80s. Plus, Oakland, like every part of the Bay Area, is more expensive to live in, squeezing out the less fortunate who are more likely to commit violent public crimes. It's also more diverse, and the rate of black on black crime, the main problem in Oakland, has decreased as poor African Americans have moved out and more moneyed blacks and Asians and whites and Latinos have come in over the past 10 years.
The Chronicle didn't ask Jerry about the failure to redevelop Oakland's downtown. Or the overall lack of revenue generators to fill government coffers and close the city's massive budget deficit. Or the terrible morale of workers in the City of Oakland. None of that hit the article, making it one of the worst I've ever seen in my years in the Bay Area.
So, Jerry gets away with murder. Literally the murder of the city's image as he uses the crime issue to bolster his campaign for California Attorney General. See the connection? Oakland comes off looking like this bad city he tried to save, but it's too hard to do so, and so he takes off from the City to be a state official locking up the bad people. Right. Meanwhile, he leaves a lot of undone and unfinished work. Foremost is Oakland's image.
When Jerry was campaigning in 1998, someone said he would do this: come into the office and really not do much. Some Oaklanders are so blinded by his celebrity they can't think straight.
In my next post, I'll explain why Jerry came into power and the vast set of mistakes he's made while here.
I'll bet this: if he's elected AG, he'll leave Oakland. A carpetbagger who does not care about Oakland. That's typical of our city. We give the most respect to those who care the least.
Geez.
Paris Hilton's Personal Info Stolen - Why?
According to this CNN article Paris' Hilton's personal information, including cell phone numbers, was stolen and then posted on the web.
My question is why? Why would I want to have the phone numbers of entertainers that don't want to talk to me? This is -- in my view -- entirely different than the Associated Press reporter who managed to send out his phone numbers of every notable sports person in the World.
If you're a sports writer, that's of value. Plus, many of the numbers (which I saw) were office phone digits, so one could call and set an interview on a topic.
This is different. I feel sorry for Paris, in that she's been filmed, sued, and now violated, and really for what reason? Still we live in what seems to be an ever increasingly nutty world, so it's good to be careful. In other words, don't put your numbers of friends on a public server.
My question is why? Why would I want to have the phone numbers of entertainers that don't want to talk to me? This is -- in my view -- entirely different than the Associated Press reporter who managed to send out his phone numbers of every notable sports person in the World.
If you're a sports writer, that's of value. Plus, many of the numbers (which I saw) were office phone digits, so one could call and set an interview on a topic.
This is different. I feel sorry for Paris, in that she's been filmed, sued, and now violated, and really for what reason? Still we live in what seems to be an ever increasingly nutty world, so it's good to be careful. In other words, don't put your numbers of friends on a public server.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
GANNONGATE - A SPECULATION
Today, CNN's Carol Lin said that Bloggers are less than credible. But actually Blogging is replacing investigative journalism, which has been removed from the mainstream media by the explaination of "budget cutting." This started with CBS News President Van Gorton Sauter in 1981 and continues today.
So, with information technology at our fingertips, more and more people can ask questions, research, interview, write, and report. That's what journalists do, and that's what bloggers do.
Journalist also provide opinion and speculation, as do Bloggers. Here's my speculation about the story of Jeff Gannon or Jeff Gukkert, and how he gained access to the White House Press Corp. Remember, it's speculation, but I think it should be explored as no one seems to have an explaination. It may be possible he traded sexual favors for access. Hey, check it out, if only to refute it. Remember, he's alledgedly a -- or was a -- Gay escort. So, if a woman can get close to the President or one of his aides by being his straight mistress, why not a man as a Gay escort?
The questions are: "Who grants access to the White House Press Corp?", "How did they come to learn about Mr. Gannon", and "Have they hired Mr. Gannon for sexual services?"
Well, those are the questions. It's time to go to work.
So, with information technology at our fingertips, more and more people can ask questions, research, interview, write, and report. That's what journalists do, and that's what bloggers do.
Journalist also provide opinion and speculation, as do Bloggers. Here's my speculation about the story of Jeff Gannon or Jeff Gukkert, and how he gained access to the White House Press Corp. Remember, it's speculation, but I think it should be explored as no one seems to have an explaination. It may be possible he traded sexual favors for access. Hey, check it out, if only to refute it. Remember, he's alledgedly a -- or was a -- Gay escort. So, if a woman can get close to the President or one of his aides by being his straight mistress, why not a man as a Gay escort?
The questions are: "Who grants access to the White House Press Corp?", "How did they come to learn about Mr. Gannon", and "Have they hired Mr. Gannon for sexual services?"
Well, those are the questions. It's time to go to work.
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