CANCER, DEADLY CANCER

Not anything I have, thank goodness, but we all know some people that have had cancer of some kind, and many of them died from it. M’lady’s brother died of renal cell carcinoma (kidney) in March, after a miserable but valiant struggle for 2 ½ years after a (high) stage 4 diagnosis spread to his spine and hips. Dad died of pancreatic cancer 3 months after it was diagnosed and just short of his 85th birthday, this after late onset diabetes at age 81 and his meticulous attention to caring for it. I sometimes bitterly joke that he was the healthiest one in the family until he got sick and died. Perhaps his doctor should have given him more meticulous attention, but it is history now.

A good friend died in his 40s of brain cancer he thought he might have contracted from time spent in high ship towers near strong Navy radar. His father died of throat cancer, after a life of smoking I believe. A former co-worker’s mother died of throat cancer when he was about 14. An older gentleman up the street currently has hepato-cellular carcinoma (liver) and is hanging in there with extensive treatments. A very good friend my age had cancer, beat it, and is living a healthy, active life. Of course we’ve all heard of breast cancer, testicular cancer (bicyclist Lance Armstrong), u-name-it.

Sooo many different kinds of cancer. It boggles the mind. Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death in the U.S. Following is a portion of a chart (a few years old but close enough for government work, as they say) from CDC leading causes of death 2005

Table B. Percentage of total deaths, 2005

Type Death - Number Deaths – Percent of total
... All causes 2,448,017 - 100.0

1 Diseases of heart 652,091 - 26.6

2 Malignant neoplasms (Cancers) 559,312- 22.8

3 Cerebrovascular diseases (Stroke) 143,579 - 5.9

4 Chronic lower respiratory diseases 130,933 - 5.3

5 Accidents (unintentional injuries) 117,809 - 4.8

6 Diabetes mellitus 75,119 - 3.1

7 Alzheimer's disease 71,599 - 2.9

8 Influenza and pneumonia 63,001 - 2.6

9 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome,nephrosis 43,901 - 1.8

10 Septicemia 34,136 - 1.4

11 Intentional self-harm (suicide) 32,637 - 1.3

12 Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis 27,530 - 1.1

13 Essential (primary) hypertension and

hypertensive renal disease 24,902 - 1.0

14 Parkinson's disease 19,544 - 0.8

15 Assault (homicide) 18,124 - 0.7

... All other causes (Residual) 433,800 - 7.7

As you can see Heart Disease takes a lion's share first with 26.6%, Cancers are close behind at 22.8% of all deaths.

Following are the major types of cancer (table from same source):

Table 10. Number of deaths from 113 selected causes: United States, 2005

Malignant neoplasms (C00-C97) 559,312

Malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity and pharynx
(C00-C14) 7,773

Malignant neoplasm of esophagus (C15) 13,499

Malignant neoplasm of stomach (C16) 11,514

Malignant neoplasms of colon, rectum and anus
(C18-C21) 53,252

Malignant neoplasms of liver and intrahepatic bile
ducts (C22) 16,076

Malignant neoplasm of pancreas (C25) 32,760

Malignant neoplasm of larynx (C32) 3,797

Malignant neoplasms of trachea, bronchus and lung
(C33-C34) 159,292

Malignant melanoma of skin (C43) 8,345

Malignant neoplasm of breast (C50) 41,491

Malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri (C53) 3,924

Malignant neoplasms of corpus uteri and uterus, part
unspecified (C54-C55) 7,096

Malignant neoplasm of ovary (C56) 14,787

Malignant neoplasm of prostate (C61) 28,905

Malignant neoplasms of kidney and renal pelvis
(C64-C65) 12,517

Malignant neoplasm of bladder (C67) 13,253

Malignant neoplasms of meninges, brain and other
parts of central nervous system (C70-C72) 13,152

Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and
related tissue (C81-C96) 55,028

Hodgkin's disease (C81) 1,272

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (C82-C85) 20,873

Leukemia (C91-C95) 21,623

Multiple myeloma and immunoproliferative
neoplasms (C88,C90) 11,200

Other and unspecified malignant neoplasms of
lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue (C96) 60

All other and unspecified malignant neoplasms
(C17,C23-C24,C26-C31,C37-C41,C44-C49,C51-
C52,C57-C60,C62-C63,C66,C68-C69,C73-C80,
C97) 62,851

(Apologies for the poor formatting of the previous data.)

Here is a thorough document for 2008:

CANCER FACTS AND FIGURES 2008

There is a LOT of information out there. (Google is your friend.)

I’m all for free market capitalism in the research and development of cancer cures, but if the government really feels it must throw bailout money at someone, cancer (and heart disease, Parkinson’s, MS, et al) would be a good place to start.

According to the article On front line in cancer fight “A record 861 cancer drugs are in the research pipeline…”

What can we do? Contribute, run, help a friend, contribute. We can beat this.

ONCE THERE WAS A WEIGHT

Diary of a loser …or how I lost 20 pounds in 8 weeks and a total of 30 pounds in 16 weeks to become one of the biggest losers I have ever been. (All puns intended.) I have dropped from a near all-time high of 174 pounds on Jan. 1, 2009 to around 144 pounds in May 2009. For those of us with a Napoleanic stature of 5’5-1/2” (he was actually taller) it’s called ‘making a difference’.

But can I keep it up (or down, actually)? As Billy Shakespeare said, “THAT is the question”. Following are some notes and communications I’ve made over the last months as events unfolded:

06Jan2009:

Weight

It’s all about weight. Mine has been on my mind since I returned last week. I don’t like being heavy. I don’t feel good physically (too much huff and puff) and I don’t like the way I look. (I’m not vying for America’s Top Model, but seriously folks.) I’ve lost up to 5 pounds since 1 January, though I’m back to only 4 lost today. I could gain the entire amount back in 2 good meals. Yesterday I skied, had one modest-sized bowl of soup for lunch, one bowl of popcorn with light olive oil, herb seasoning, and no salt, my usual many cups of coffee with sweetener and non-diary creamer, and gained a pound. The story of my life. Of course it’s not only the number of pounds, but the percentages. 5 pounds is about 3% of my January 1 high weight of 174.9. (Thank goodness I don’t weigh 175!!) During some periods in 2006 and 2007 I was actually 15% lighter, in the low 160’s (briefly even in the high 150’s) and it made a difference in my looks and clothes fitting. I have no idea what I was doing to get like that.

What works for me is eating less, and that is what has helped me shed 4-5 pounds in 5 days. I’m living proof that exercise alone will not make you lose weight, though I’m firmly convinced that exercise is an absolute necessity for health and well-being. So, in the last week I have shunned eating really good things. There is no way I will do that forever but I really must ‘just say no’ to the frequency with which I have so many savory things to eat. Eating is fun and I enjoy it very much, it’s unfortunate it is killing me. Of course one must eat enough to prevent light-headedness and to support one’s relative activity level.

14Jan2009:

Weight Update:

I’ve lost up to a whopping 8 pounds since the 1^st. As a result I’m down to a weight I haven’t seen since very early last April. One more pound and I will hit a weight I only hit on 3 days last year. The fun part will be keeping it off, as well as losing more. Not much of a difference in clothes yet, but it’s a start. I’m still mainly working on eating less. I’ve cut out nearly all salt and laid off popcorn for several days now. (52 grams of carbs per bag, not counting a cup+ of light olive oil. What was I thinking!?) TBC.

14Feb2009:

Weight update - 20 and counting

20 pounds lost, that is, in the 6 weeks and 3 days since 1 January 2009. It’s a personal best of that much lost in that little time. The fun part will be losing a bit more, and the REALLY fun part will be keeping it off. TLW (The Little Woman) and I got to thinking seriously about our weight after returning from our Christmas holiday travels. (She has lost 10 pounds, despite her constant travels and work-related restaurant eating.) Christmas, and any other time spent visiting family and friends, has always been an excuse for an orgy of eating (something I LOVE to do). The results have always been predictable, major weight gains and subsequently slow weight losses. I’ve realized MY weight problems are all about self. Let others handle their own situations, what am “I” going to do about me.

How have I done it so far? I’ve always gotten regular exercise, lots of gym time, and winter skiing, healthy but with little visible results. What has made the difference this time is getting exercise and:

1. Eating a lot less food (going a little hungry from time to time, something I’ve rarely ever done, and snacking on healthy things when I can’t stand it anymore)

2. Eating a lot better food (REALLY watching calories, carbs, fat, protein, et al. Not with computer accurate precision, but just being more aware of what has how much of what in it.)

One of my favorite hunger busters is dry whole almonds. (Bake them on a shallow pan for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees (stir and turn them halfway through) for an added toasty flavor. Just don’t eat bowlfuls of them.)

We’ve switched from non-fat vanilla yogurt (still has lots of sugars) to plain, fat-free (tart tasting) yogurt, to which we add Splenda to sweeten, and frozen blueberries with a smattering of cereal for substance.

A friend has suggested artificial crab meat for substance in salads or omelets. Works great! Speaking of salads, I eat a lot more of them, and I’m liking it. I add the crab meat or salmon or very lean burger or nothing but veggies, and I like it! What a novelty. And I eat a lot of fish, and, and, well, I just say NO to pizza, chips, cookies, etc.

Ah well, I’m a six-week flash and wonder. Time will tell. It’s all about self.

18Apr2009:

I spent the better part of 2 weeks in Kansas City, MO at the end of March and not surprisingly, despite the best of intentions and some reasonably healthy eating, I gained 4 pounds. (HORRORS!) Fortunately, when I returned to Denver I lost a pound a day for the first 4 days. (Phewww. Close one.) Of course, this brought me back to a 28 pound loss since the 1^st of January. It’s not like a went obese or anything. I have since hit a 29 pound loss once, and I’ve been hanging at that 28 loss for a week. It would be “nice” to lose a few more pounds and have more of a cushion to fluctuate within, but still I’m in a weight range now that I don’t think I’ve seen in 30+ years.

13May2009:

Here we are, the future that is now. My greatest loss (well, gain, but a loss is a gain when it comes to weight, umm, you know what I mean) has been 32 pounds, which I’ve hit twice this month. I’ve hit a 31 pound loss 4 times this month and been at a 30 pound loss the other days. These little milestones are important to the obsessed dieter, as are the daily measured tenths of a pound from the digital bathroom scales. (I could NOT do this on my older weight-mechanism scales, fluctuating 3-5 pounds daily. Arrghhh.)

I’ve lost more weight in a shorter time than ever in my life. I weigh less than I did 30 years ago. ALL my clothes fit, or, they’re TOOO BIG (a badge of honor for the time being). It’s a good weight to be at (144), with plenty of “cushion” on which to fluctuate.

BUT CAN I KEEP THIS WEIGHT? “…ay, there's the rub.” THAT will be the REAL test, as many have warned me and with which I totally agree. I have to keep eating healthy food (which I now enjoy more than ever before). I have to keep exercising (that has never been a problem, though I’m a lazy exerciser and without good diet it has been insufficient alone). I also think I’m gonna’ keep an eye on the EXCUSES my wily psyche comes up with to gain a pound here and munch on something REALLY yummy there.

We shall see, we shall see. The fun has just begun. Stay tuned, don’t touch that dial. To Be Continued.

(P.S. TLW has lost about 23 pounds. Not too shabby either.)

(Attached picture: Weight chart for 1^st six months of the year 2003-2009.)

Miss California and the Deficit!

Did I get your attention? I just wanted to share that I am sooooo relieved that Carrie Prejean has retained her Miss California title due to the good graces of Donald Trump!

"Miss USA pageant co-owner Donald Trump announced that despite the controversy over her stand on gay marriage and racy pre-pageant photos that have surfaced, Carrie Prejean will retain the title of Miss California USA. Trump also commended Prejean for speaking her mind about same-sex marriage during the Miss USA Pageant."

Trump to Miss California: 'You're not fired'

Now we can get on with the REALLY IMPORTANT issues like the Fed budget "loan me 50 cents so I can spend a dollar".

"The government will have to borrow nearly 50 cents for every dollar it spends this year, exploding the record federal deficit past $1.8 trillion under new White House estimates."

White House: Deficit to top $1.8 trillion

(Sorry about all this. It's a slow news day.)

Death Penalty Repeal Won't Die Yet

Perhaps it will be resolved, for now, by the end of the day. I'm still a fence-sitter. So much for my committment on difficult issues. The Denver Post reports there is one more chance to repeal the death penalty. Death-penalty ban's last shot at Capitol

I was more intrigued my comments on the issue from two editorial columnists in the paper. Bill Johnson ( Johnson: Senate gutless in bill rewrite) said about favoring a repeal:

"Sometimes leadership means telling those you represent - no matter how many times they call or e-mail - there is a better way, a moral way.

And sometimes, in service to your district, state or country, there comes a moment when you have to reach into your gut and do what may not get you elected the next time.

Now, I've never run for office, but I can assure you that if I got booted out for doing what my heart, my mind and my morality told me was the right thing to do, I would kick back in retirement and in my La-Z-Boy with the biggest grin on my face you ever saw."

This, and the recent U.S. Senator Specter defection from Rep. to Dem., made me wonder should a representative "represent" the wishes of his constituents or decide issues based on his personal perspective. Sounds like a topic for a separate but big consideration.

Mike Littwin ( Littwin: Facing the death penalty after all) said:
"The death penalty is, of course, an issue that divides us at our core. It's an issue that is all about conscience and belief and in our personal understanding of where vengeance and justice intersect." [Agreed-JH]

"But today, I think it's easy to make a case against the death penalty - the randomness of its application, the DNA-proven fallibility of the system, the march of history that leaves its supporters in league with forward thinkers such as China and Iran, the argument (though still debated) against the deterrence factor." [I'm not so sure it's that easy. "Randomness of application"? "DNA-proven fallibility"? DNA evidence should be more airtight today than ever before.]

We shall see.

Nationalizing GM won't help GM

The usually Liberal Left-leaning Denver Post strikes a blow for capitalism on their Editorial Page 04/30/2009. I was SHOCKED! They make a very concise and reasoned argument for the government NOT getting into the auto business. It’s a short read and I highly recommend it: Nationalizing GM won't help GM — or the nation.

Some pertinent points from the editorial (most of it, actually):

…“GM's new idea would grant the federal government 50 percent ownership in the company. The United Auto Workers would own 39 percent. That hardly gives traditional investors 10 percent, which means minimal say in the boardroom.

We hope the Obama administration rejects this new proposal, which would effectively nationalize the country's largest automaker. If the president doesn't, it would bring his business acumen into question. Unfortunately, the team of officials Obama has working with the company appear to like this new notion.

A more likely outcome is that bondholders, who are being asked to sell their debt for a tiny amount of unsecured stock, will reject the offer. We hope they do so.

Yes, that will lead to Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but we've long argued that those protections are sufficient and the limit of what government should extend.”

…“How could Washington continue to set regulations for such things as higher fuel-efficiency standards and lower emissions requirements if those obligations conflict with selling its cars? How could taxpayers ever expect government, which would run GM, to stop bailing it out with taxpayer loans? And what about the other automakers in this country? Could they still compete?

How could executives make savvy business decisions if the UAW, which for decades has helped saddle the company with lavish pay and benefits packages grossly out of step with foreign competitors, calls the shots?

One of the key justifications for the government's extending $15 billion in loans was to protect jobs. This plan isn't even doing that. Some 21,000 jobs would be shed and several plants shuttered. GM dealerships would shrink by 42 percent.

Those cuts are most likely sadly needed to give the company a shot at regaining a competitive edge.

But the cuts are also an acknowledgment that competitors, which also employ American workers, control more of the market than ever before.

It's long past time to stop giving GM an unfair advantage propped up with huge taxpayer support, and it's unwise to saddle GM with government control. This kind of "innovation" ought to get the bankruptcy protection it deserves.”

Additional articles on the issue, much of it repetitive (IF you’re inclined toward tooo much information):

GM's New Road Map: Partial Nationalization

Nationalize General Motors? UAW and U.S. government could own 89 percent of company under GM's plan:
“GM said it would speed up six factory closings announced in February and close three additional facilities in 2010. Henderson expects to identify the plants in May and said they will include assembly, engine, transmission and parts-stamping factories.

GM will also cut 21,000 hourly jobs in the U.S. by 2010 -- 7,000 more than what the company outlined just two months ago.

With the factory cuts, GM will be a mere fraction of its old self. At the end of 1991, the company had 304,000 hourly workers in the U.S.; by the end of 2010, it would have 40,000.

Also, General Motors Canada said it plans to slash its hourly work force from 10,300 to 4,400 by 2014. Young said the reduction follows previously announced plant closures.

In addition, GM plans to cut additional U.S. salaried jobs beyond the 3,400 cuts completed last week, and it plans to reduce dealerships 42 percent by 2010.”

Government May “Nationalize” GM by Swapping Debt for Equity

New York Times:
‘Surgical’ Bankruptcy Possible for G.M

Money Morning:
U.S. Treasury to GM: Prepare for Bankruptcy

Water boarding follow-up

Clifford May offers a reasoned argument for the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” in this tongue-in-cheek fantasy interview he “wishes” he’d had with comedian John Stewart. (Google: Clifford May Torture TV if the link doesn’t work.) May did appear on Stewart’s The Daily Show 04/28/2009 to discuss the issue but as usual it was one-sided in Stewart’s favor. (This is the show in which Stewart called Harry Truman a war criminal for bombing Hiroshima.)

I bring this up because May was a guest on Conservative Mike Rosen’s Denver radio talk show this morning (05/05/2009). You can listen to Mike’s interview of May without commercial interruption HERE.

My stand is still that the ‘tortures’ usually mentioned (isolation, sleep deprivation, humiliation, and water boarding), are debatably “harsh tactics” and do not require a clearing of the air at the expense of our security and self-defense.

This, along with my following previous posts on the subject, will be enough out of me on this subject for awhile. (Distant cheers.)

YourHub:
Speaking of Waterboarding
II. Speaking of Waterboarding

Blogspot
Speaking of Waterboarding

Spaces.Live
Speaking of Waterboarding

Blogs, opinions, topics, Oh My!

If you’ve recently been invited to view my blog, or accidently stumbled across it, let me opine a bit about what blogging is to me. It is communication (that which separates us from being sheep and wolves or purely instinctive beings (which humans aren’t very good at anyway)).

A lot of my communication is opinion, something I have that is free and plentiful. When I can, I will back it up with fact, and I welcome others to guide me to facts when they can. I get a lot of well-intentioned emails of the patriotic or political variety that often prove to be very old and/or factually misleading. I find that Wikipedia and Snopes.com, while not infallible, will frequently set the record straight. I think we need to prove ourselves with calm, cool, and collected facts rather than the raw, unsubstantiated emotion that is often thrown at us.

Is blogging going to be that serious? I hope not! I do find myself opining about politics and economics more than I ever expected, as they effect me and the rest of the world in bigger ways these days than I ever expected. IMO communication has never been more important. My blog topics so far have been as “light” as snow skiing and as “heavy” as water boarding and the death penalty.

Bear with me if you like. I welcome you to read and encourage you to comment and converse if you so choose. Gosh, you could even start your own blog!