The View From the Outback© 2000 Richard C. Rhodes
A great deal of what we read in newspapers, magazines, and books, and what we see in the movies and on TV is written and produced in New York City or Los Angeles. Much of the "political wisdom" comes from the PR machines of the White House, the Congress, and from the Washington media corps.
In short, one might conclude that all knowledge, wisdom, and wit are confined to those who inhabit New York City, Washington DC, or Hollywood.
I am now in my 6th decade of life experience - which was gained in many cities in the U.S. and in about 30 foreign countries.That experience has included the U.S. Marines, law school, the ATF, the CIA, Fortune 500 executive, writer, public speaker, educator, editor, and publisher - for openers. For over 20 years, I have written articles off and on for various magazines and newspapers. I've had an enormous number of letters published in major national publications. The Outback is the rural area in Northeast Texas where I have lived for the past 11 years. Each Saturday (or so) I will attempt to post a new set of musings from the Outback.
The women of Austin carried out their bare-breasted protest on a chilly winter evening. It was
hard to find coverage of the event after it took place. One photo showed the bare backs of several
women and one lone policeman. He had a big smile on his face.
Raymond Martorano, the driver for former Philadelphia Mob boss Angelo Bruno died. He was
shot three times while driving his Lincoln Town Car on a street in Philly. The Mob always had a
penchant for Town Cars - since you could comfortably put a body in the spacious trunk. As a
young Federal agent in Philly, I carried a small spiral-bound photo album of mug shots of the
various members of the Bruno Mob. As I recall, Angelo Bruno met his demise on the wrong end
of a shotgun. Now, I have a new book of "mug shots" of most of the criminals in Washington,
D.C., with their "rap sheets." It is called the "C-SPAN 2001 U.S. Congressional Directory."
(www.c-span.org)
Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) appeared on the David Letterman show. As she had been with
Jay Leno, she was hyper-sensitive and defensive - neurotically and embarrassingly so. Dave was
afraid to ask the next question, for fear of her reaction. It was obvious he would have rather been
in the basement chasing rats than talking with Calista. Her manager should keep her from
appearing on any more talk shows and get her some (additional?) psychological counseling.
And have a pizza delivered to her every hour on the hour.
John William Roland, III, a convicted murderer, escaped from a maximum-security prison in Abilene, Texas, on January 17, 2002. He drove away in the 2001 Chevy pickup truck of a prison guard, license 5SB-C30. That information, a clear color photo of the truck, and more, was posted on the FBI "Wanted" Web site and even printed in many newspapers. Roland traveled through 10 states, using a credit-card stolen from the prison guard he jumped while in jail. It is nearly inconceivable to me that no cop or state trooper, or citizen with a cell phone, spotted this guy in the truck - with the same Texas license plate as the day he drove away from prison. One problem is no doubt the lack of co-ordination of criminal information among and between the states. Roland was finally located on Jan. 23, when he used the stolen credit card in Raleigh, North Carolina. State and local law enforcement could not find one of the few convicted escaped murderers on the loose, driving merrily from state to state. How then, are they going to keep track of terrorists who may be driving rented cars under assumed names, or whatever? Cheery thought, isn't it?
ABC pulled "Millionaire" from the Monday lineup. It is described as an "ailing game show." A
long time back, and repeatedly, I questioned how anyone could watch this Rigor Mortis attempt
at a quiz show. At one point, I cautioned ABC "not to bet the farm on Millionaire."
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is after Miss Cleo and her psychic hot line - for fraud.
Anyone who is dumb enough to call a 900 number for a "reading," to have sex-talk, or whatever,
deserves to get taken to the cleaners. But, it is nice that the FTC is trying to help even the
cerebrally-challenged and socially-desperate among us. If your child or significant other is
addicted to calling 900 or 976 numbers, you can have the phone company block outgoing calls to
900/976 numbers. There is no charge for this blocking service. No more Miss Cleo. No more
heavy breathing.
In the Outback for Nov. 10, 2001 "Enviro-Terrorists Operate With Near Impunity - But Not For
Long?" I suggested that Enviro-terrorists were just as much terrorists as the people who attacked
New York and the Pentagon. I pointed to their Web sites and their bragging about how much
mayhem and destruction they had caused. I suggested that Eco-terrorists might well come under
the same new laws as passed to combat international terrorists. The WSJ later picked up on a
similar theme in an editorial. I am pleased to see that the Congress held hearings and is working
on new legislation that would bring Eco-terrorists under federal racketeering laws. I can't resist
saying that the House could have saved some money on hearings and legal brainstorming if they
had read my article and done some simple research. This is not rocket science. (See Terrorism
under Suggested Reading.)
Mercedes quality and customer satisfaction has been falling for several years. This is good news
for those of us who for years had "Mercedes Envy." I am driving my third Chevy truck, two S-
10s and now an extended-cab Silverado. Total repairs, other than tires, shocks, and brakes - for
all three trucks - was one sensor in the gas tank, which was repaired under warranty. I have in
the past driven Lincoln Town Cars and Caddys, but you could not get me out of my Silverado for
one of those today.
Bo Derek, who was in a movie or two, has indicated that she would be open to finding "Mr.
Right." Bo, since you seem to have been happy married to an older man, I offer my hand in
friendship - and we'll see where it might lead. I will not, however, move to NYC or California.
All other locales are negotiable. Oh, I assume money is not important to you.
Many have criticized President Bush for his tough talk about North Korea. It is about time that
somebody did something. Largely forgotten is that the U.S. lost 40,000 troops during the war in
Korea. And since the early 1950's, we have had U.S. military troops in Korea to ensure the peace
by maintaining the integrity of the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. Today,
we have about 37,000 troops in South Korea. That is about 50 years of being military police in a
foreign land - because nobody could ever get off the dime with "diplomatic overtures" to reunite
the country. I was 19 years old the day I enlisted in the Marines during the Korean war. I am now
70. What do we have to show for 50+ years of U.S. troops in Korea? Nothing. Other than North
and South Korea are still divided. This is progress?
Speaking of Korea, it is another shining example of the "victory" of the Communist ideology. In
the Communist North, the population is so poor that they are literally starving to death. In the
South, we find automobile factories that export and companies like Samsung. I have two
Samsung computer monitors from S. Korea, for example. What do you have in your house made
in North Korea? Rottsa ruck.
Another TV prediction: Colin Quinn is getting a comedy TV show. Mark this down. The show
will bomb. Colin Quinn is not very funny. He speaks so rapidly he is often hard to understand,
and his Eastern accent is hard for many in the heartland to pick up. When Colin did the Weekend
Update on "Saturday Night Live" on NBC, it was a dismal, horrible, amateurish, performance -
the worst ever. And it takes some doing to be worse than Norm Macdonald was on Weekend
Update. Once again, I will apologize profusely to Mr. Quinn if I am wrong. I am not readying
any concession speech. Tina Fey, I love you.
The Murder of WSJ Reporter Danny Pearl
Daniel "Danny" Pearl, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was murdered by
Islamic extremists in Pakistan. One of the comments attributed to his captors was that Danny was
a spy for the CIA. I am sure that he was not a spy. This is a lame excuse used by many extremists
who kidnap, torture, and often kill innocent reporters, tourists, or people on business trips. If we
had as many spies as foreigners and terrorists claim we do, we might be able to do a decent job
of collecting intelligence.
Years ago, when I served in the CIA, we were forbidden to pose as journalists or as members
of The Peace Corps, among others. I assume that this rule is in force today. If not, it absolutely
should be.
The director of the CIA and the President should have a joint press conference at which they
categorically state to the world that no American intelligence officers are posing as journalists.
And that no journalists are "working for the CIA." Truth be told, it is hard to find many
journalists who even have a favorable opinion of the CIA, let alone would work for them.
Sirius & XM Satellite Radio - Another Set of Counterproductive Competitive
Standards
We had 8-track and cassettes, BetaMax and VHS, DirecTV and Dishnetwork, LPs and CDs, all
entertainment mediums using competing standards. The 8-track, LPs, and BetaMax are history.
DirecTV and DishNetwork are trying to merge their satellite TV companies, instead of
duplicating everything on their satellites to the same basic audience. Do we never learn? Now,
we have two satellite radio providers, Sirius and XM. Each has a proprietary system. General
Motors is going to start offering one system in their vehicles, Ford the other one.
One service (Sirius) costs a couple of bucks more a month than the other - and has no
commercials. How could anybody opt to save a couple of bucks a month and put up with
commercials on XM? They were first in space. We are a nation of glassy-eyed robots who will
buy anything that is new and "far out," if you will pardon the pun.
I practically never listen to the truck radio on my short trips around the Outback. If I try to listen
to Rush Limbaugh on the way to the post office, by the time he repeats everything he says six
different ways and with the intervention of the interminable commercials, I get about two
sentences of real information. I play music CDs in the truck. Presented with a choice, I would
pay nearly double the price to get the satellite radio system without commercials. Maybe in 2004,
if I tire of the music.
On both DirecTV and DishNetwork, as part of one or more of the program packages, you can
receive CD-quality music of all types - and without commercials. It is very nice. Whoever
decided that a satellite radio outlet should have commercials gets my vote for "corporate dunce
of the year." If people are dumb enough to spend $350 for a car radio to pick up the music from
space, they will pay $3-5 a month extra - or more - to be rid of commercials. Ask any first-year
marketing student.
How many years will it be before the companies merge? And then there will be the costly
transition to one "platform." Competition is great, as was the case with the advent of CDs, but
sometimes it is counterproductive. There were about 3 DVD standards, now there is to be only
one. What a mess that has been.
Does High Cholesterol Really Cause Heart Disease?
Stand by for the biggest battle in medical and nutritional theory in decades. But, first some
background about "conventional medical wisdom." When we see the term "heart disease," it is often used rather loosely to mean "cardiovascular disease," which actually means disease of the heart and blood vessels. The technical term for your arteries getting plugged up is "atherosclerosis." Say that three times fast. Or as Taber's Medical Dictionary puts it: "marked by cholesterol-lipid-calcium deposits in arterial linings." Or, as some docs say, you have a buildup of "plaque" in your arteries, probably the ones supplying blood to the heart or the brain - although it could be in your legs or elsewhere. So let's just say "heart disease," as a catchall, like everyone seems to do. It will make things simpler.
For several decades, we have been told by the medical profession that having a high cholesterol
reading (usually pegged at above 200 total cholesterol) was a cause of heart disease. Some have
claimed over the years that eating eggs, which contain a large amount of cholesterol, and eating
other cholesterol-rich foods, would raise your cholesterol - and thus your odds of getting heart
disease. Those who warn against eating eggs seem to have lost their high ground - if not their
statistical evidence that eating natural forms of cholesterol is a significant cause of high-
cholesterol readings and thus heart disease. My cardiologist insists that I eat eggs, because they
are a near-perfect food. My cholesterol ranges from 160 to 175.
The preponderance of the evidence in recent years indicated that eating high levels of Saturated
Fat was the real culprit in raising blood cholesterol levels. Vegetarians typically have cholesterol
readings of 150 or below, for example. By carefully charting my consumption of Saturated Fat, I
have seen a precise correlation between my intake of Saturated Fat and my levels of serum
cholesterol. And there are tens-of-thousands, both personally, or as part of medical studies, who
can point to the same correlation.
The first huge question arises when you discover that about 40 percent of people who experience chest
pains or who have heart attacks have "normal" cholesterol levels. What's the deal? Some say
heart disease may be caused by a virus. Others say that a high Homocysteine level can be a cause
of heart disease. Smoking, excess weight, type-2 diabetes, and lack of exercise are also cited as
factors in heart disease. A few other "causes of heart disease" are put forth. Some honest doctors will answer, "we just don't know for sure what causes heart disease."
The overwhelming "medical wisdom" has been that high levels of serum cholesterol cause heart
disease. So, we avoid all the good stuff, the burgers, butter, cheesecake, rib-eye steaks, and so on
- if we want to keep our cholesterol reading low. As a vegetarian, my total cholesterol was around 150.
Eating a diet very sparing in saturated fats, and taking a lot of supplements, my current
cholesterol is 175. Again, most who carefully track their saturated-fat intake would come up
with similar results - an exact correlation between intake of saturated fat and the level of serum
cholesterol.
The majority of people are not willing to eat a somewhat Spartan diet and get enough exercise
(exercise will lower cholesterol to some degree). A huge number of people with high cholesterol
take a prescription drug known as a "statin," such as Zocor, Lipitor, Pravachol, Mevacor, and
Lescol. Baycol, another statin, was taken off the market. So far, 100 deaths have been attributed
to the use of Baycol.
Recently, the new cholesterol guidelines call for treatment at lower levels of cholesterol than
before. This could triple the number of people under age 45 who might begin taking a
prescription drug and increase by about 130 percent for older Americans - according to one
study. There are several sides to the issue. There are side effects to drugs, and statins are
relatively new with no chance for large, long-term studies of their "help versus harm." Many
older people may have to choose between the cholesterol-lowering drugs and food.
One thing is certain. The new cholesterol guidelines, and subsequent huge increase in people
taking a prescription drug to lower cholesterol, will put billions of dollars in the coffers of the
pharmaceutical companies. How much pressure was there, if any, from the drug companies to
"encourage" a new more stringent national set of cholesterol guidelines? My guess is that there
was enormous pressure - and a lot of money, trips, and gifts involved. Later, you will see why
more-stringent cholesterol guidelines may not be as important as they are being made out.
Look for more TV and print ads for statin drugs. A current TV commercial for Lipitor is the most
unconscionable and tasteless commercial I can ever remember. A beautiful young woman steps
out of a car. Her size, weight, and height are shown. She is a perfect specimen of a woman. But
the ad shows a box: Her cholesterol is 273! After a few steps, she falls on her face! The
implication is that high-cholesterol is a killer that will cause you to drop over in public, even
though you look terrific on the outside. Then we see the words: "High Cholesterol Doesn't care
who you are." And "1 in 5 people have high cholesterol - millions need treatment."
If you would like to write to the Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Inc., the makers of Lipitor, his
address is at the end of this piece. I hope you will tell him, as I will, that the TV commercial
cited above is shameless and disgusting - and if you ever decide to take a statin drug, it sure as
hell won't be Lipitor. Thank you for your help. These people obviously have no conscience.
If you visit the Lipitor Web site, you will see an ad featuring Olympic Gold-Medal figure skater
Peggy Fleming. Her cholesterol was 235. After taking Lipitor, it is now 188. The same ad has
run as a full-page ad in the WSJ. Good for you Peggy. Mine used to be 235. I became a
vegetarian and got my cholesterol to 150. Even with eggs, bacon, a steak now and then, and
some treats, mine still ranges between 160-175 - and I don't have to take Lipitor. A good diet,
exercise, and some supplements keep my cholesterol lower than yours on Lipitor. And I have had
bypass surgery. You aren't much of a poster child, if we compare stories. (And what is it with
figure skaters and their health? Dorothy Hamil has osteoarthritis and is on TV shilling for
Vioxx.)
You will see more and more "study results" that tell you about the wonderful things that statins
do beside lower cholesterol. This week, a Canadian study tells us that statins may help prevent
Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. There seems to be no end to the alleged benefits of
statins. One news report said "just how these drugs might ward off dementia is unclear." Right
on. But, it is clear that anything claiming to help the big "A" will get press coverage. It has
been a long time since any single drug was apparently good for so many different things. Time
will tell.
In the February 6, 2002, issue of "The Journal of the American Medical Association," are some
facts about the industry ties of doctors who are involved in "establishing national guidelines."
Eighty-seven % of the guideline authors had some type of relationship with drug
companies. As many as 59 % of doctors who wrote guidelines had connections with
the firms whose medications were considered in the guidelines. In the survey, only 52% of the
authors responded, leaving one with questions about the full nature of doctor involvement. This
is not a discussion of doctor objectivity. The facts simply raise enormous questions.
Now, to the new battleground.
I am in a state of shock!
A respected Cardiologist, who is often quoted, most recently in The Wall Street
Journal, said to me not long ago: "Cholesterol doesn't matter!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked. I thought he was pulling my leg.
My doctor friend went on to say that he, along with many others, were convinced that the amount of
serum cholesterol in your blood has no relation to heart disease. None. Not at all.
The doctor wrote out a Web site URL and told me to check it out.
www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm
The site is the home of "The Cholesterol Myths." (Exposing the Fallacy That Saturated Fat and
Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease.) The author is a Swedish doctor name Uffe Ravnskov. He is a
Medical Doctor and has a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He did not just fall off the Turnip truck.
The Web site contains several sections dealing with various myths and is replete with footnotes
of research, much of which was done by the good doctor. There is piece dealing with the "new
cholesterol guidelines." There are also several reviews of his work and his book, "The
Cholesterol Myths," by people in the medical field or medical-reporting field. You should
download all of the pages and links from his site that you can - and read them carefully at your
leisure. If your faith in the idea that "cholesterol causes heart disease" is not shaken to the core,
then you are not paying attention.
After I gulped a couple of glasses of wine and attempted to come to grips with what I had read, I
began to explore the links and the authors names cited. You can do your own searches. One good
start is to go to google.com and search for "lipids research."
Why have we not heard of this fellow and his work before? Since 1990 he has published almost
40 critical papers and letters about the alleged association between cholesterol and cardiovascular
disease - in well-known and peer-reviewed publications. My guess is that his ideas are akin to the
guy who says he has a carburetor that will get 70 miles-to-the-gallon. The gasoline companies
don't want to hear about it. Surely, the huge, yes monstrous, business in American medicine that
is built upon the theory that "cholesterol causes heart disease" does not want to hear his theories.
That is why I say this will be the medical battle of the decade - and beyond. Billions and billions
of dollars are at stake - and the heath of untold millions of people.
Dr. Ravnskov's book "The Cholesterol Myths," is available at: www.newtrendspublishing.com and through www.amazon.com.
Robert C. Atkins, M.D., is the man behind "The Atkins Diet." He espouses weight loss by eating
primarily meat, cheese, and all kinds of good stuff loaded with saturated fat. Many thousands have
lost weight on his diet. Now, the "conventional medical wisdom" is that a high-fat diet like
supported by Dr. Atkins, will cause high-cholesterol and thus ultimately heart disease. In his
book, "Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet Revolution," Dr. Atkins makes a strong case that his high-
fat diet will not cause heart disease. I am going to read the book again. As you may have
guessed, I have a remarkable library of medically-oriented books.
A little more food for thought. There is considerable evidence that aside from Dr. Ravnskov's
assertion that cholesterol does not matter, that too low a cholesterol level is bad for you. I have
read of medical doctors whose cholesterol was around 150 who said they thought that was
unhealthy and they were going to raise it. In one study, those who had a cholesterol outside 180-
280 had twice the death rate of those inside that range.
In my own modest research, I had pegged the optimal cholesterol at 180 and had purposely
raised mine from 160 to 175 - just before the "cholesterol doesn't matter" bombshell was
dropped on me. There is evidence that low cholesterol (the level is very person-specific) may
predispose one more to suicide. I will skip the medical reasoning behind that conclusion. You
know how to type www.google.com by now.
So, what is Mr. "175-cholesterol" doing with his new-found knowledge? After more than 20 years,
my body is attuned to a low-fat diet, and I plan no major changes in the immediate future. I am
switching from Take Control, the cholesterol-lowering margarine, to real butter. And I am
switching from plain air-popped popcorn (ugh) to Pop-Secret Premium microwave popcorn -
made with Land O Lakes butter. Yum. Yesterday, I had a piece of Pecan pie and today three Girl Scout
cookies. God, I hope that Doc in Sweden is right. I am so tired of air-popped popcorn. And I love
those Girl Scout cookies.
I need more information - more confidence - before I start eating triple burgers with cheese and
french fries every day.
Regardless of your current cholesterol level, or your general state of health, your life will be
affected by the outcome of this debate. Don't just stand by and wait for press releases. Start
asking questions, buy books, do research. I know what your doctor will probably tell you. But
this is the same guy or gal who has told you for years that eggs will give you heart disease. Seek
a second opinion. Or a third.
Here is the man at whose desk the buck stops on the disgusting Lipitor ads on TV where the lady
falls flat on her face because she has "high cholesterol":
Mr. Hank McKinnell, Chairman & CEO
Hank is also the Viagra man. The man who brought you a former presidential candidate and
Senate Majority Leader pitching a pill to make his penis rigid. Nice job, Hank.
In addition to chastising him for the Lipitor commercial, I am going to ask Mr. McKinnell to
refute the claims of Dr. Uffe Ravnskov in any way he might care to. He may never read my
letter, but it's worth the 34 cents to try.
(If you want to find out who the corporate players are, corporate addresses, and the lowdown on
lawsuits, patents, etc., go to www.sec.gov and under the Edgar site, check the 10-Q report for any
publicly-traded company. It's like hiding in the closet at a Board meeting - and more fun than a
human ought to be able to have.)
Red Cross Gets More Scrutiny
The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance has asked the Red Cross for information to
help determine if it meets the BBB's standards for charitable organizations. One of the BBB
standards is that the organization must spend at least 50 percent of donations on activities
promoted during fund raising. Fifty percent on programs? That's a pretty low bar to set.
In my Outback for Feb. 9, 2002, "The American Red Cross Needs a Complete Overhaul," I
mentioned the poor handling of funds by the San Diego branch of the Red Cross for the "Alpine
Fire." I did some more digging.
For six days in January, 2001, the Viejas-Alpine fire burned more than 10,000 acres, but only four homes were
destroyed. Several animals, including horses, were either killed, burned, or injured. The San
Diego chapter of the Red Cross raised $400,000, ostensibly to help victims of the "Alpine fire."
The San Diego Union-Tribune in an editorial (Dec. 27, 2001), said in part: "Not only did the
local chapter refuse to publicly account for the donations it received from the public, some 65
percent of which was charged by Rotherham and her senior staff to overhead...." Ms.
Rotherham is the lady I pointed out was the subject of a TV story about her compensation - which
is around $300,000 a year. Salary is "overhead." Get the point? Of course you do. It is a national
disgrace.
Apparently, after the public disclosure of the lack of distribution of a majority of the funds
donated for the Alpine victims, the San Diego chapter agreed to disburse $236,000 to members
of the Alpine community. What caliber gun do you have to hold to their head?
In the same editorial, the Union-Tribune said: "...the Food and Drug Administration asked a
federal judge to hold the Red Cross in contempt for its 'cavalier disregard' for the quality of its
Blood Bank."
This past week, while listening to a midnight talk show on AM radio, I think this is an accurate
account of what I heard. There was another fire or some calamity in the San Diego area. The
local Red Cross (of the Alpine Fire fame) appealed for contributions. They got $370! Another
local charity made an appeal for the same event and collected $70,000. (Forgive me if I got this
wrong, but I was half asleep.) Well, people in San Diego are not so dumb. Fool me once, but ....
Now, if more people would stop rolling over like a trained dog for the Red Cross and demand
better efficiency, more modest salaries, lower overhead expenditures, and more honest
communication about what is collected and how it will be spent - we might be getting
somewhere.
Stanley Marcus & Pauline Trigere Have Left Us
Stanley Marcus, the famed president of Neiman Marcus and fashion designer Pauline Trigere
died recently. Both of these people touched my life in a synergistic way. I mourn both their
losses, but memories flood back.
At one time, my girl friend (and I presumed future wife), Diane Lohr, was the head fashion buyer
for Neiman Marcus. Mr. Stanley thought a great deal of Diane's abilities and she would regale
me with tales of the store, the New York fashion world, and the Marcus family. I never knew Mr.
Stanley, except to say hello and chat briefly at a function here and there. The last time I saw
Stanley Marcus, he gave a talk to our Dallas Booksellers Club about his interest in miniature
books. His wife Linda asked to be introduced to me, as she had either read my then current novel
or was aware of it. The three of us chatted briefly. Stanley Marcus, in his somewhat quiet way,
had a commanding presence. You did not need to read his press clippings to know that he was
someone very special.
I never met Pauline Trigere, but in a peripheral way she touched my life. She was French, moved
to New York in 1937, and later married a man named Radley. Her son, J.P. Radley, was vice
president of the fashion firm, as I recall. My lady, Diane, had frequent meetings with J.P.during
buying trips to NYC. During those trips, I stayed in her apartment and looked after her two
daughters. Diane never spoke well of J.P. Radley to me. In fact, her comments were unflattering, to say the least. He was just someone she "had" to do business with. One night,
after returning from New York, Diane sat me down and 'splained the program to me.
In somewhat of a miraculous transformation, she had come to like J.P. Radley. In fact, she was
going to move to New York, become a buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue - and marry J.P.
Radley! And you think you have sad love stories. Please. Diane and J.P. are no longer married. I
have no idea of what happened to Diane or her two lovely daughters. But when Mr. Stanley and
Pauline died recently, a lot of joyous and painful memories were revisited. For sure, we lost two
giants in the fashion and merchandising world.
Suggested Reading From Past Columns
(Right-click on an underlined link and select: "Open in New Window" to leave this window in place)
Terrorism:
"Profiles, Stereotypes, and Common Sense" Saturday, Jan. 12, 2002
The American Red Cross:
"The American Red Cross Needs a Complete Overhaul" (Must Read!) Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002
Global warming and environmental debate:
"Rush to Glacier National Park Before All the Glaciers are Gone" September 8, 2001
Politics:
"Sen. Daschle Keeps Digging a Bigger Hole for Himself" Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002
The Media:
" 'BIAS' by Bernard Goldberg" Sunday Dec. 16, 2001
Prescription drugs - advertised on TV - abuses in the pharmaceutical industry - supplements:
"Prescription Drug Plans," September 8, 2001
Health - General:
"America's Obesity Crisis" Saturday, Jan. 12, 2002
Computers and Technology:
"Dragon NaturallySpeaking 6.0 - Voice-Recognition Software" Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002
Interesting Books to Read:
" 'BIAS' by Bernard Goldberg" Sunday Dec. 16, 2001
A case history of horrendous abuse by Federal law enforcement:
"FBI Sniper At Ruby Ridge My Be Tried For Manslaughter," June 9, 2001.
Crime, guns, gun-control:
"Real Anxiety - Texas Jail Inmates Break Out Weekly" Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001
Late Night TV Cruel Humor, et al.:
(I quit watching late night in disgust during the Bush/Gore campaign. Since Sept. 11, most of the late-night comedians have been a little more responsible.)
"David Letterman Grovels For The Colombians," May 19, 2001
Hollywood, TV, Entertainers, Celebrities:
" 'Boston Public' on FOX Under Fire" Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002
Telemarketing:
"Telemarketers, Caller-ID, et al.," August 4, 2001
Miscellaneous:
"Speaking English is Often a Fuzzy Concept" Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002
COPYRIGHT 2000 Richard C. Rhodes
You are welcome to quote sections from this page - or the whole page, as long as the source URL is included. Of course, I would be flattered if anyone linked to this page. It is very hard to be the writer, editor, fact checker, copy editor, and publisher of anything. So, I welcome corrections of fact, notes of misspelled words, and so on.
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