The View From the Outback

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 a senior citizen, plus. My experience 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. Some insights come from talking with ham-radio operators in every major country and such idyllic places as the Cook Islands. The Outback is the rural area in Northeast Texas where I have lived for the past 14 years. Every few weeks I will attempt to post a new set of musings from the Outback.

October 4, 2004, Monday - and following

Click on a Topic to go directly to that topic.

• Thoughts While Staring at the Ceiling Fan
• The D.C. 27-Year Gun Ban - A Monumental Failure
• The Pitfalls of Online Dating
• Heart Disease, Statins, Pick a Theory
• Microsoft's .NET Framework
• Flu Shots Are Not Perfect - Flu Prevention Tips

Election Prediction: 12:10 p.m., Nov. 2. Those of you who stay up late waiting to see who "won" the presidential election will be greatly disappointed. With the questions of illegal voter registrations, provisional ballots, absentee ballots, some of the hijinks already surfacing, and the tens-of-thousands of lawyers poised to contest every vote the parties do not like, it will be some time before we have a president. I am growing a beard and will not shave it off until the presidential election is settled. It ought to look pretty good by then.

Update: Well, what a shock to all! It is actually over before January. But, our election system is still dysfunctional, with for example, about $72 million being donated to 527s (about $60.8 million by Democrats and about $11.6 million by Republicans). In the first place, nobody should have so much money that they can "spare" $23.7 million to do such things as run two-page ads in major newspapers trashing President Bush, as George Soros did. Think of all the food and clothing that could have bought for the homeless or prescription drugs for the indigent. Not to mention the Billions spent on the various campaigns. Election finance is completely out of hand.

One good result. This should prove once and for all to the elite liberal media, the liberal academia, the air-head celebrities, the droning pundits, exit pollsters, and others who told us how evil and mean-spirited George Bush and the Republican agenda were - that a majority of people think all of you are full of crap. Just go away and play in the traffic - and quit whining.

Thoughts While Staring at the Ceiling Fan

If you think that STD is a flower-delivery service - you may be a Redneck.

The TV commercial asks "What can Brown (UPS) do for you?" Paint those ugly trucks a different color.

Bill Clinton has stopped taking his cholesterol-lowering medication, Zocor. A while back, I sent him a letter to his house in which I enclosed some of my Outback material on the dangers and exaggerated claims for statins, along with some scientific references on the Web and in the medical literature. And I implored him to take Coenzyme Q10. I suppose it is too much to think that my persuasive materials had anything to do with his decision to stop his statin. With all the letters he got, mine may still be in the pile - unopened.

Once again, I found Ms. Sawyer of ABC, in her interview on Thursday, 10/28/2004, was a little too dramatic about how Bill Clinton had dodged what might have been an impending fatal heart attack. But, that's her style. We even got to see the 90% blockages in two of his arteries during his angiogram. There has been talk about how he underwent "emergency" surgery when the results of the angiogram were known. I'm no heart surgeon, but there are tens of thousands of people running around with 90% blockages who get around to bypass surgery when it can be scheduled. You can live a pretty normal life with some 90% blockages, unless you really exert yourself, as both Bill Clinton and I did (my angiogram was much worse than his). It is those seemingly ethereal "blood clots" and "ruptures of unstable plaque" that appear generally to cause heart attacks, not a consistent reduction in the flow of blood to the heart. With blockages, the heart tells you when you have pushed yourself too far. But, heart attacks can and do strike "out of the blue," with no advance warning - from whatever cause. The saddest thing is that Bill Clinton is buying into the "now you have to eat chicken and tuna and salmon the rest of your life" medical wisdom. Remember that it has been demonstrated that LDL cholesterol actually tends to go down on the high-fat Atkins diet. Eat a Big Mac or a ribeye steak, Bill. Contrary to what all your high-priced medical talent is telling you - you will live just as long - maybe longer. They are still guessing about what causes heart disease. Why suffer a life of gastronomic privation while the boys at Harvard Medical School are still searching for answers to the diet/heart disease connection? (see: www.thincs.org, "The Benefits of High Cholesterol," Dr. Uffe Ravnskov) Also read the book "The Cholesterol Myths," by Uffe Ravnskov, M.D, Ph.D. (Ph.D. in chemistry).

The illness of Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist has stirred the "who will get to appoint new Sup. Ct. judges?" pot to a boiling point. To those who think that the Court simply interprets the Constitution, you have not been following the workings of the court over many decades. There are precious few powers that the Constitution grants to the Federal government. Yet, using the taxing power and the interstate commerce power, as examples of the most egregiously abused, the court has ratified literally thousands of laws that have expanded Federal power. The courts seems to find rights that the most careful observations with a magnifying glass would fail to reveal in the document. So, if John Kerry is elected president and is able to appoint a couple of justices to the Supreme Court, here are some of the outcomes you can expect: the government will enact new powers at the expense of individuals and the states; gay marriage will become the law of the land; criminals and terrorists will be given more and more rights in an increasingly politically-correct society, more and more expressions of religion, whether by word, deed, or artifact, will be stricken down as in violation of the Constitution - for openers.

If George Bush wins, we can count on the Democrats conducting an unprecedented filibuster of Supreme Court nominees. Because - what liberals fear the most is having judges who try to limited themselves to interpreting the Constitution. The majority will of the country is for judges to interpret the Constitution and not become quasi-legislators by inventing new rights and theories. Since the liberal agenda has largely failed in the Congress, their only hope is to have judges who will do legal "make-overs" to fit the liberal agenda. Regardless of who wins, the judicial nomination process will continue to be ugly, uncivil, and fraught with lies and pressures from special-interest groups. Makes you proud to be an American. And we go around the world telling everybody how they should structure their democracy. Some nerve.

In the Outback for Sept. 1, 2003 (www.home.earthlink.net/~rickhgtx/outbac82.htm), I noted the following:

Millions of American jobs in the textile, sneaker, electronics, automobile, and other industries have been lost due to moving production and/or assembly to other countries - where labor is cheap and environmental laws are lax. If the trend continues, and it will, in 50 years, foreign companies may seek out American companies to make their goods, as our labor rates will by then have become the lowest in the world. But, by then, we will say "Sorry, we don't do windows. We spend all of our time making computer stuff, shuffling information to and fro, making bombs, and tanks, and airplanes, and aircraft carriers and subs."

It seems that my projection was right, but I was waiting too long for the turnaround. Writing in Business Week Online for Sept. 20, 2004, in an article entitled "Is Outsourcing Becoming Outmoded?" Bruce Nussbaum made several interesting points. "Simply put, the wage gap between the U.S. and Asia is shrinking." "... you need at least a 300% to 400% wage spread between American software writers, engineers, accountants, and call-center employees and their India and Chinese counterparts." There is more to overhead overseas than just salaries. So, the tide is already turning. GE plans to sell its entire business-processing operation in India. It will be a while before manual labor-rates offshore reach a level where they are no longer an incentive for American companies to produce offshore. Some computer operations have moved their support back to the U.S. from India, partly because of rising salary demands in India and problems with Americans understanding the accents of Indian phone techs.

It is reported that 98% of footware sold in the U.S. is made outside of the United States. Recently, I bought a pair of SAS shoes, which are made by hand near San Antonio. They are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn, but the price of $125 seemed a little steep. That is, until I realized that people pay that much for sneakers made in China by virtual slave labor, perhaps costing $7 to $10 to make. How can an American company make a far superior product by hand, with American wages and all the business taxes and overhead, which sells for about what many of the slave-labor - machine-made - sneakers cost? For one thing, SAS is not paying millions of dollars to some 20-year old NBA player to endorse their shoes. And there is no importer marking up the goods before they ever get into the U.S. distribution chain. I have some $65 walking shoes made in China that are junk. They have Velcro straps, which lost their grip in just a few months. The shoe clerk told me that Velcro "wears out." Please, where do I usually go to get insulted? I have never had a piece of genuine Velcro fail to keep its gripping power. What "wears out" is the cheap knockoff of Velcro made by the Chinese. It's crap.

Until the election is over (Jan. 2005?), I am no longer watching network or cable news shows. Drivel piled upon horse manure. Regrettably, as I surf the Internet news, I see headlines about CHER, Eminem, Elton John, Rosie O'Donnell, etc, - all trashing Bush. I don't read their insightful comments, of course. A recent journalism panel was asked by an audience member why so much coverage is given in the media to the political views of celebrities. The lady who answered, who was a heavyweight in the field, said that she thought there was way too much celebrity coverage. "Too many journalists seem to confuse celebrity with achievement," she said. Wow. One sentence says it all.

Martha Stewart's daughter is quoted as saying that her mother said the food in prison is "terrible." Martha has yet to be assigned a job in the slammer. Martha, why not donate some decent food to the prison and apply for the job of "food and beverage manager" at the prison? Prisons are often narrow minded. I once befriended a felon in the Texas system who had read my first novel and contacted me. He had been a food and beverage manager in a major hotel in Lake Tahoe, as I recall. When I wrote the prison warden suggesting that my friend might be better utilized in the kitchen than in the rock quarry (or whatever he was doing), they basically wrote and told me to mind my own damn business. So, don't hold your breath, Martha, for the prison to do anything sensible.

Federal health officials said Tuesday, Oct. 19, that another 2.6 million doses of flu vaccine will be available in January. Good. This will be of great comfort to the surviving family members of those who died in November and December of flu complications. Tommy Thompson at Health and Human Services has said seniors should stop fretting and standing in long lines for flu shots, that there are enough vials in the system to take care of those who really need the shots. Is he going to call me? The VA turned me down, even though I met their cutoff criteria - because I had not been treated at a VA hospital. Thanks for your support. This is the only thing I have asked of the VA health system. My doctor has none available. I missed the notice in the paper that told of a nearby hospital that had enough shots for about four days of requests. Clinics that I hear have vaccine, tell you that it is "for patients only." Are all those patients in the "critical zone"? I doubt it. Now I know how a crack addict feels when his supplier gets busted and his stash is confiscated.

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to decide the case of whether the Ten Commandments may be displayed on Government property. Read the Constitution again. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." How can displaying the Ten Commandments or a Nativity scene be in any remote way connected to "shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"? If anything, the most weight in these cases should be given to "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." But, if you want to see what all the hue and cry is about with "judicial activism" and "judges making law," check out the Supreme Court decision in the Ten Commandment case, once it is decided. Logic, and even a layman's reading of the Constitution should make it clear that having the Ten Commandments displayed on government property is not remotely connected to the "establishment of religion." Nor is having prayer in school, or a pledge which contains the words "Under God." Ten million words in lawyer's briefs, and all the lawsuits by the ACLU cannot change that simple fact.

One of the monumental outcomes of this election will be who will be the President to appoint the next few justices to the Supreme Court. If you want every use of the word "God" stricken from public discourse, vote for Sen. John Kerry. If you want to make the Constitution "a living document" (that is, whatever the hell the Court says it is), vote for John Kerry. There is no "right of privacy" in the Constitution. There is no Federal right to an abortion. All that is judge-made law. The pregnant question is, "Who elected them?" If you listen to these kinds of cases being argued, you have to ask yourself, "How could they screw up such a simple and straight forward concept? The Framers did not want the government to establish an overarching national religion or church, to the exclusion of all others. This is not rocket science or brain surgery. It is a simple reading exercise. Lawyers and judges beat the obvious to death - often until the obvious is no longer recognizable.

FoxNews must be feeling pretty cocky. They have been running an ad for Paula Zahn's show on CNN - over and over. What's with that? Are they trying to flatter her so that she will jump ship to FoxNews?

In the vice-presidential debate, assertions, and "facts," and figures were flying like in a food fight. How many of those who watched the debate took time to read something the next day like The Washington Post summary of the debate (among the several sites), where they had callout fact-check boxes? After reading all of the fact-checking, I have concluded that both debaters were (are) congenital liars. I think I will pass on the final two debates. It will be just more of who can tell the biggest lie.

Kerry is now raising money to prepare for a recount. Legions of lawyers are standing by to contest close results in various states. There is no doubt that there are enough illegal voter registrations to swing the vote in close states. How can you have a fair election where so many polling places do not even require a photo ID before you vote? It seems inevitable that some of the electronic voting machines, without a paper trail, will foul up - or be tampered with. Elections have simply gone to hell, and the worst is yet to come. If you thought the last one was screwed up, you ain't seen nothing.

The wedding of Tiger Woods to his yummy Swedish meatball is said to have cost $1.5 to $3 million. In an article in the WSJ, people were arguing passionately over whether a class of extremely-expensive wrist watches should use IIII or IV on their face for four. Some of the watches advertised in the Journal cost $3,000 to $10,000. I wrote the editors an e-mail in which I said that the great unwashed among us find it amusing to see what rich people fight over. Then, I described my $39 Casio and all of its features, asking "What more could you ask for?" It was not printed, even if they liked it, in deference to the tens of thousands of dollars in ad revenue they get from those outrageously-priced watches. Every time I drive by the palace in Prosper outside of Dallas where Deion Sanders lives, I want to throw up. What is his contribution to society? He played a little baseball, intercepted a few passes, now draws a huge paycheck while sitting on the sidelines with a hamstring pull, and acts in general like a jerk on TV.

Update: Oct. 14, 2004. The Wall Street Journal finally printed my letter about my $39 Casio watch. See "Letters" on my main Web page.

I find very little to like in the platform of Kerry and Edwards, except rolling back the tax cuts for those who make over $200,000. (My instinct is that maybe a floor of $400,000 is more realistic, since there are some parts of the country where it is so expensive to live that it take a pile of money just to pay the mortgage and send the kids to college.) People who spend millions on a wedding, buy $10,000 watches, or live in palaces, deserve no tax break. A 25% luxury tax might be in order for those who buy stuff that nobody really needs to just "get along." NOBODY is so smart, capable, or talented that they are worth millions in compensation compared to just a livable wage for the average person. That goes for corporate executives, athletes, and entertainment personalities. Our priorities are getting more and more skewed.

As I was scanning my letter-to-the-editor to The Wall Street Journal of Oct. 14, 2004, into a .pdf file, I noticed the other WSJ letter files. I have had at least seven letters-to-the-editor published in the WSJ. Considering that they have a circulation of two million plus, and that I live in a former cow pasture, several miles from a very small town in Texas, that is quite remarkable. Sometimes I tell my friends, "I am their token hick." For balance, you know. Take a look at the kinds of people who have letters published in the WSJ and where they live. Very interesting.

Although it was painful, I watched about half of one episode of "The Benefactor," featuring Dallas eccentric billionaire Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas NBA Mavericks and HDNet). They tried to make high drama out of people shooting 3-point basketball shots, and so on. The prize is a $1 million. How long can this piece of trash stay on the air? Reality TV is completely out of control, and this show is the poster child for dumb reality shows.

Several times I have touted the virtues of the HDTV sets using DLP technology, specifically the sets by Samsung. I have to suspend my endorsement of the Samsung DLP sets for a while. My HLP4663W started refusing to come on. Finally it produced a three-blinking-light front-panel diagnostic. This ostensibly means that the bulb which illuminates the DLP mirrors needs replacement. A search of the Web forums revealed that the problem is more likely the ballast that fires the lamp at startup. Given the number of people with the problem and what I have learned from retailers, this is a wide-spread problem with the Samsung DLP sets. The fix is generally a new ballast and bulb. I am sure Samsung is scrambling to fix the problem, but that will not help the sets in the pipeline. Too bad, since the HLP series produces a superb HDTV picture, with no burn in, and except for the bulb (and now the ballast) has nearly an infinite life. The bulb and the ballast on my set are now replaced, and the set is perfect. But ... this widespread problem should never have happened in the first place. This is a third-generation set!

While waiting for my Samsung DLP HDTV to be fixed, I left it on for 24/7 for a week - once I coaxed it to come on just one more time. That should have smoked out any other weaknesses in the set. That's a good idea for any new TV. Most electronics will fail within 90 days of heavy use. Give them a stress test right up front. Just don't complain to me if you burn down the house when the damn thing catches fire. I am home most of the hours in the day, so my exposure to such perils is limited. Now that the bulb and ballast are replaced, I don't expect problems for a long time. Of course, the set is plugged into an expensive spike protector, and I pull the antenna leads (and sometimes the AC cord) during violent thunderstorms. (You can't watch satellite TV anyway during heavy downpours of rain.) I have lost two previous TVs when lightning came down the coax and did bad things. And thousands of dollars of ham-radio gear, until I got smart. Once my ham antenna was hit by lightning while I was reporting on a storm during a "weather-watch net." Sparks went everywhere on the bench, but the mike was plastic and it just fell from my hand as a reflex. The antenna, on a 50-foot tower, was shattered into pieces and strewn all over the yard. I lost two antennas that way.

Airport security will soon be using a new X-Ray machine that lets the operator view the passenger's body through their clothing. One wonders if the machines can detect breast implants. I suspect they can, because of their difference in density from the surrounding tissue. Talk about invasion of privacy. What about people with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators? They have modules and wires that would show up on the X-ray monitors as suspiciously like bombs. Ah, technology leaps ahead, from detecting bombs to boobs.

The PC crowd does not care about reality. They only want to make trouble. In California, some are working to prevent athletic teams from using the word "Redskins." A poll suggests that using the word "Redskins" for a team is not offensive to 90% of American Indians (more PC - Native Americans).

The Republican convention is now fading into distant memory, but for me one image persists. While one of the speakers was talking about John Kerry's positions on issues, one of the delegates held high a pair of rubber flip-flops. He waved them back and forth. That should have made it to a campaign poster.

Sen. Hillary Clinton was on the Senate floor, attired as usual in a baggy pants-suit. Why does she wear pants suits? She has grand legs. That is, as in Steinway grand. Several other female senators wear skirts on the Senate floor.

Most of the discussion about the advantages of HDTV revolve around the clear picture. The wide screen is also noted as being more movie-friendly, since movies are shot with wide-screen display in mind. But, there is a quantifiable difference that you can see and test. The field of view of a football game displayed in HDTV is considerably greater than on conventional TV sets. For years, I wrote about the idiocy of shooting tight shots of the quarterback, when the plays most often develop several yards from the line of scrimmage. Via cell phone, my son and I compared the view of a recent NFL game on his standard format rear-projection TV set and the view on my wide-screen HDTV set (DLP rear-projection). We have the same satellite TV provider. I could see at least 10 and sometimes 20 yards more of the field than he could see. Thus, I could finally see the average pass pattern developing. Finally! Of course, the picture clarity of HDTV is astonishing. I could read the words on small uniform patches, and my son could barely see the patches. You can really see the players sweat in HDTV. Sometimes, you see more clearly than you want to see. Older "TV personalities" must hate HDTV. One NFL referee looks like Dracula on HDTV. One announcer looks like he was borrowed from his coffin for the broadcast.

The elite medical community is slow to embrace any remedy that is not a prescription drug. Finally, the "Harvard Heart Letter" (Oct. 2004) has mentioned something that alternative-medicine folks have known for a long time. In a discussion of which prescription drugs are useful in treating pulmonary hypertension, they mentioned Viagra. Viagra boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes and opens blood vessels. One sentence says "Another nitric oxide booster is L-Arginine, a dietary supplement touted by body builders." They got that partly right. L-arginine is also used by many people with past or potential coronary artery disease and high blood pressure - and erectile dysfunction - to relax and open blood vessels. Even though I don't have ED, I take 1-2 grams of L-arginine every day - because of my history of cardiovascular problems. On evenings when there is a possibility (now apparently remote) that I might engage in intimate contact, I take about 5 grams of L-arginine. I told my cardiologist about this, he nodded, and probably took a note.

Some of the male-enhancement supplements advertised on TV contain, among other things, L-arginine, but I suspect that the quantities are not sufficient to make a difference. If you buy any bottle of non-RX pills from ads on TV, you might as well burn money in your fireplace instead of logs. The prescription drugs are suspect enough, let alone the "snake-oil-capsules" sold on TV.

The D.C. 27-Year Gun Ban - A Monumental Failure

For about 20 years or so, I and many others have written about the folly of the District of Columbia gun ban. When the ban went into effect, the murder rate in D.C. was twice the national average. After 27-years of the ban, the murder rate is at least seven times the national average for a large city. DC has been the "Murder Capital of America" for 14 of the last 15 years.

Neely Tucker, writing in The Washington Post on September 29, 2004, said in part: "Here's another fact: D.C.'s ban deals only with handguns. More than 101,000 residents have legally registered rifles and shotguns over the decades, according to police, and residents can protect themselves with, say, a buckshot-blasting 12-gauge shotgun, a can't-miss weapon big enough to blow half the living room into the front yard." Obviously, Neely Tucker never fired a shotgun. It will not "blow half of the living room into the front yard." That hyperbole is simply intended to make the gun argument more emotional. And the rifles and shotguns that were allowed in the District had to be unloaded and either disassembled or locked. With an intruder possibly bursting into your home in just a couple of seconds, nobody who knows anything about defending from assaults would ever suggest that a gun be kept unloaded, disassembled, or locked. Locked maybe, if you have kids.

The U.S. House of Representatives, in a 250 to 171 vote, passed H.R. 3193, which overturns the D.C. gun ban. There were 44 Democratic co-sponsors of the bill. The far left came up with their usual shrill and now tiresome arguments that more guns means more mayhem. But, they were drowned out by more reasoned arguments. A female representative from Florida noted that she had a concealed-weapon permit and thought that all citizens had a right to defend their homes and families. A former judge from Texas, now a representative, pointed out that after the concealed-weapon law passed (signed by Geo. Bush when he was Governor) violent crime in Texas went down. He mentioned the carnage in Luby's cafeteria, where my friend Texas State Representative Suzy Gratia Hupp watched both her parents shot to death, along with about 20 plus others. That was before Texas passed the concealed-weapon bill.

The Texas Congressman went on to say that if someone entered a Luby's cafeteria in Texas today, there might be from possibly three to 15 people who are armed. Yes, sir. I am one of them. Ex-Marine, ex Federal agent, and a very good shot. In Texas, you must be checked by the Highway Patrol (DPS), your fingerprints run through the FBI, you attend an all-day class and field session, where you learn about the laws of self defense and shoot a 50-shot timed course of live fire. It is 10 times harder to get a concealed-weapon permit than it is for an illegal alien to get a phony driver's license and Social Security card.

There was also a lady House rep from Wyoming who said that she came from a state where they believed strongly that everyone has a right to bear arms as guaranteed by the second amendment.

I never thought I would see such a debate in Congress, where a large majority were sticking up for the right to bear arms. After all the years of the Brady Bill, and the assault-weapon ban, and the DC gun ban, etc., it is finally becoming clear that criminals and violent people do not adhere to the law. Only honest citizens do. Criminals, by their very definition, violate laws. That leaves only the law-abiding without a way to protect themselves, because the criminals will always get a gun. New York City has had restrictive gun-ownership laws for as long as I can remember. But, did you see Amy Fisher talking about how easy it is for a kid in New York to get a gun? What did Amy care about violating the guns laws? She was intent on murdering the wife of her lover.

After the bill passed, Rep. John Conyers, a black Democratic representative from Michigan, asked a question of the Chair. "Will the members of the House be allowed to bring concealed weapons to the floor of this body?" The Chair ruled that the question was not a proper parliamentary inquiry, since the bill had not yet become law. Was Rep. Conyers worried that someone might shoot him on the floor during one of his harangues? Or, was he hoping to be able to carry a gun to level the playing field? Or was he just grandstanding? Only one guess. The liberal anti-gun crowd cannot accept any defeat gracefully.

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The Pitfalls of Online Dating

Amy Fisher had an affair with Joey Buttafuco when she was 16. She shot Joey's wife, Mary Jo, and spent seven years in the penitentiary. Now, she is a columnist for The Long Island Press newspaper, has written an autobiography, and appeared on Oprah, among other venues. Among her other revelations, Amy admits to having been a prostitute.

What caught my ear was when Amy said she met her husband on Match.com, the dating service. He said that on their first date, she told him the truth about her past. That must have been an interesting personal ad. Maybe something like: "Author and columnist seeks older man. Am handy with guns, favor long vacations in secluded spots, and know how to please a man."

After I wrote the above "ad," I had some misgivings that it was too cruel. Even I have a conscience. But then I decided that when Amy Fisher started appearing on TV shows and writing a book, she opened up that line of cross-examination, as a lawyer might say in court. Amy is trying to rehabilitate her image and appears to be doing a good job, if her appearance on "Oprah" is any example. As I recall on that show, Amy said that she "hit" Mary Jo with the gun "and it went off." Oh, the old "the gun just went off" chestnut. That is not the way the record reflects events. So, if you are feeling sorry for Amy, dry your tears, please. She went to the house to kill Mary Jo Buttafuco, and the fact that she used a puny .25-caliber gun, instead of a more deadly caliber, is one of the reasons Mary Jo is still alive. Yes, people get killed with .25-caliber guns, but I remember a guy in a pawn shop telling me about a fellow that came in to hold him up. The robber shot the clerk in the chest with a .25-caliber handgun, but a notebook in a shirt pocket stopped the bullet. And so on.

A while back, I tried meeting ladies on both Match.com and one of the other popular online sites. After hearing Amy's story, I consider that I got off easy. But, here are a few stories from my online-dating fiasco. Remember that I am a senior citizen and was looking for someone reasonably close to my age.

The sites had several photos of incredibly beautiful ladies in their 50s and 60s. The problem is that many of the photos are about 30 years old. I know, as I met two "raving beauties" for lunch who turned out to be attractive, but quite old. I had no problem with their age, but I did have a problem with my expectations of their looks. I also downloaded dozens of photos and profiles from the two Web sites. Sometimes, I would come back to check on the current status of one of the "beauties" and find that her conscience must have been bothering her, or people were too upset when they met, because there was a photo posted that showed her much older than in the original posting - just weeks or months before.

Over the months, I wrote e-mails back and forth to women as far away as South Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and one in Colorado, one in England, and so on. To cut down on the highly-unlikely matches, I finally hid my profile and made it available only to those I contacted first. According to their profiles, and the quality and depth of their e-mails, there were some terrific ladies out there. One was a mental-health professional. Over time, she began to tell me her problems, which were manifest. Laboriously and lovingly, I counseled her and made plans to drive quite a distance to meet her. As time wore on, it was apparent that she simply had too many problems for just about any man to cope with. The irony was that she told me I would make a good therapist and thanked me for all my caring suggestions. I cut off the communications.

My online psychologist friend reminded me of a lady I met many years ago. We met through an ad in a well-known alternative newspaper in Dallas. She had a Ph.D. and was in charge of a mental-health facility. I took her to lunch in the garden of one of the better spots in Dallas. We had Champagne cocktails with our lunch. We then moved to a place she suggested where we could have a couple of drinks. Finally, I asked the question I ask of all mental-health professionals. "What was it in your personal life that lead you into your profession?" The odds are with you, believe me. Without hesitation, she flipped her wrists over to show me the razor scars. Then, there was the long explanation. The lady invited me to her posh townhouse, where we listened to some New Age music and spent a little time getting more intimately acquainted. She became restless and asked me if I had any joints with me. I said that I did not partake. Well, then, would I drive with her to pick up a few joints from one of her sources? I excused myself and drove home.

Back to the more recent past. One lady and I hit it off so well in our first e-mail in alias, that we exchanged true e-mail addresses, and soon were talking on the phone for long periods. She, incidentally, was one of the two most beautiful women I had run into on the dating site. We agreed to meet in Dallas for lunch. She was indeed beautiful, but about 30 years older than her posted photo. After a bit of disappointment, I plunged ahead with getting to know her. We had a lot in common and even in her 60s, she was still a very attractive woman. The lunch went on for about three hours. We were both ecstatic - and as I recall - she even suggested that we might check into a motel across the road from the restaurant. I declined. I'm no prude, but I am old fashioned and like a romantic setting and candle light. Finally, we went to the parking lot. We stood there in broad daylight and hugged and kissed passionately for a long time. A lady rather sheepishly asked us to move as we were blocking her car and she wanted to leave. With promises to do this again soon, we reluctantly parted and went to our separate vehicles.

In a day or so, I got an e-mail from my "new best friend." She said that she had decided to get back together with her ex-husband, who had come into town for a visit. They had a long history together and she said she did not want to throw that away. I understood that and wished her well. There was just one problem. For months after that day, I kept seeing her profile on the dating site. I figured it this way. The lady had been beautiful in her younger day, and I am sure had men chasing after her all the time.

Now, in her 60s, she was probably feeling the strain of aging and of looking in the mirror. Was she still desirable, she must have asked herself? Now, I am convinced that she met people to see if she was still attractive, interesting, and vibrant. Answer, yes. But, once the point was proven, she would come up with the phony "getting together with my ex" and troll for the next prospect on the dating site. I absolutely do no accept that she simply did not like me. The e-mails, phone conversations, the lunch, and the parking-lot passion were more than anyone could do as a pretense. Not even a professional actress.

After a period of licking my wounds, I engaged another woman in an e-mail dialogue. This one was so beautiful that I had originally considered her to be "too much to handle for right now." I was not happy with my weight and wanted to lose some weight before making the approach. So, sometime later, I contacted her again. She seemed excited about the possibility of us meeting. She lived about 150 miles from me, on the other side of Dallas. Just for the heck of it, I wrote her and said that my son and I were going to be having lunch in North Dallas on a certain day and would she like to join us? She answered immediately and said she would be there, which meant that we were splitting the travel distance between us.

On the appointed day and time, the "most beautiful lady on the Web" was sitting in the place we had agreed upon. I think she may have spoken to me first, because it was a little hard to spot her. Her photo on the Web was at least 30 years old, and maybe older. She, my son, and I, had lunch. She was a "nice" lady, but there was no chemistry. I bought her a bottle of French white wine to take home with her. And then I said I was going to SAMS, did she want to come along. At least we would be alone for a while. One of my purchases is always a two-jar set of marinated artichoke hearts. She said she liked them, too. So, I gave her one of the jars. We shook hands in the parking lot and drove away. I never heard from her again, not even an e-mail to thank me for the lunch, the wine, and the artichoke hearts.

I called my son on his cell and asked him how old he thought own lunch companion was. He said that he thought she was older than I am. And I am old. Not that her age was a determining factor, as my departed soul-mate was seven years older than I. It was that I never got over the fraud of posting a photo that was at least 30 years old. I am still pissed and have a copy on my desk which I will send to the president of the dating service with a note that he really ought to do something about gross, gross, misrepresentations on his site.

There were many more ladies in the download folder. And folders in the file cabinet of e-mails back and forth. But, finally, I took their profiles off my hard drive. After hundreds of hours of screening and countless hours of writing long and very personal e-mails, and phone conversations, I decided I had a better chance of being struck by lightning than meeting a soul mate online.

Like I said at the start, with all my bad luck, it could have been worse. As far as I know, I did not spend a lot of time courting a lady who had been either a prostitute or had tried to kill the wife of a lover. At least, I don't think so. "Dear friend, Please bring a fingerprint card to our luncheon meeting."

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Heart Disease, Statins, Pick a Theory

If you read the medical literature very carefully, or talk to an honest cardiologist, you will conclude that "we just don't know exactly what causes heart disease." In the wake of the Vioxx withdrawal, due to stroke and heart-attack risk, Pfizer is now going to conduct trials to see if Celebrex might actually help prevent heart disease, since it works as an anti inflammatory in the body. One WSJ article (Oct. 18, 2004) contained the following sentence: "A rising theory in cardiology holds that inflammation of the blood vessels may be as important a factor in causing heart disease as cholesterol." Read between the lines. "We are still not sure what causes heart disease. We have several theories, but none of them are rock solid. New theories surface periodically." The sad result is that people will be given pill after pill for preventing heart disease based on highly suspect claims for their efficacy. If the Vioxx debacle taught us anything, it is that clinical trials leave a lot to be desired when it comes to predicting the efficacy and side effects of drugs.

A 15th reminder: Approximately half of all coronary events occur in patients without overt hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol, etc.). Large proportions of first cardiovascular events have occurred in patients whose LDL cholesterol levels were below the current NCEP guidelines for intervention and treatment.

Yet another blood test has surfaced that some say is a better predictor of heart attacks than cholesterol levels. Lipid ratio accounts for 50 percent of heart attacks, says Salim Yusuf, professor of medicine at McMaster University in Canada, who directed a study in 52 countries called INTERHEART. A blood test can measure the ratio between the small, dense, more dangerous ApoB lipid particles that can clog the arteries and the large fluffy ApoA1 particles that move along in the blood's flow. ("The Lancet" Sept. 11, 2004)

High levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) have been associated with arterial-wall inflammation and thus increased risk for heart disease. Clinical trials have suggested that statins can reduce CRP levels. Statins were originally prescribed for lowering cholesterol and now touted to cure nearly every malady known to man. Is there no end to the miracles of this drug? Apparently not, if you believe the constant flow of press releases, study results, and so on. A few of the claims: lowers cholesterol, prevents heart attack and stroke, helps with glaucoma, AIDS, and reduces CRP. Just on the basis of the number of claims for efficacy in a wide range of problems, the statin-bandwagon has to be suspect. But billions of dollars of profits can pay for a lot of (targeted) research and PR campaigns.

There is yet another test that some doctors use to detect the presence of heart disease. Electron beam or "ultrafast" computed tomography (CT) scan looks for calcium buildup in the heart's blood vessels. The scans are best at telling how much calcium has built up in the heart's blood vessels. A higher calcium "score" means a greater likelihood that there is critical narrowing of these blood vessels, and in turn, a greater chance that a person will have a heart attack or other major heart problem. But, many caution that the test is only one tool and should be considered along with other risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The test is not very meaningful for health young adults or senior citizens or those who already know they have heart disease.

As in so much of heart disease prevention, I can find little to suggest how one lowers the level of calcium in the blood vessels. One study has shown that the amount of coronary calcium detected by these scans decreases when high cholesterol levels are reduced. Thus these scans may be useful to document the effectiveness of various interventions.

A high level of Homocysteine in the blood is an indicator for cardiovascular disease. The good news is that this is one indicator that can be easily controlled - with Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Folic Acid. No Rx needed!

Many times, I have stated that the media and the medical profession has been brainwashed and bamboozled about the efficacy of statins in so many areas - and are playing down the side effects. In The Wall Street Journal for October 5, 2004, there was a chart called "A Medicine Cabinet Quandary." It listed the side effects and benefits for several prescription drugs. Under "Statins, such as Zocor, Lipitor, and Crestor," the "Benefits" were listed as "have been shown to cut the rate of heart attack and strokes." Yet, the same week, Crestor was running a large TV ad campaign. At the bottom of the screen for Crestor where these words: "Crestor has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attack." Obviously, Crestor has not had time to pay for the "research" that will show that it too "prevents heart disease and heart attacks." The longer this statin charade goes on, the more my observations and independent review of the literature will be vindicated.

Update: Oct. 11, 2004: The CBS Evening News ran a segment on statins. I broke my long-standing boycott of CBS News to watch this segment. Here are some highlights: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) revised the cholesterol guidelines downward. This means that millions more people will be considered for statin therapy. Most of the NIH experts had financial ties to the statin drug companies (no, you're kidding). Dr. John Abramson, of the Harvard Medical School, said: "There's a theory that statin drugs help women and elderly people who do not yet have heart disease. That theory has been tested in our studies so far and has been disproven." (See: "The New Cholesterol Guidelines - Everybody Gets a Pill" in the Outback for July 7, 2001 www.home.earthlink.net/~rickhgtx/outbac36.html).

Disclaimer: The content of articles on this web site are provided for information purposes only. A decision to act upon the information presented on this web site is at the discretion of the reader. No liability or responsibility whatsoever is accepted by the author/s of any material contained within this web site for any alleged harm arising from the use or dissemination of this material. All decisions regarding health and medical issues should be made in consultation with one or more competent medical practitioners.

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Microsoft's .NET Framework

In the Outback for Sept 3, 2004, I mentioned the horrendously long install of the "drivers" for a low-end HP 3-1 printer, especially the unwanted installation of Microsoft .NET. Lee Gomes, writing in the WSJ for Oct. 4, 2004, warmed the cockles of my heart with the following: "Five or so years ago, XML was going to be technology's Next Big Thing. If you remember Microsoft's .Net initiative - and you'll be forgiven if you don't, since the company hardly mentions it these days - XML was the catalyst that would enable .Net, and with it, a new generation of remarkable Web services. True, no one ever gave any really good examples of what these services might be, but why quibble with the future?"

Update: I now find that a couple of my programs require MS .NET Framework, including the new Matrox P650 video card in the computer I just built. So far, in two tries to install .NET, my computer has crashed so badly that I have had to reinstall Windows from scratch, and a bunch of programs - and download the updates, reactivate Windows online, etc. And so far, I have not been able to use my digital LCD monitor in the digital mode. The monitor also has an Analog output, which I am using for now. Congratulations to Matrox and Microsoft for messing things up entirely.

A Matrox forum guru suggested to a couple of people that they uninstall Windows Service Pack 2. This is a shameful piece of advice. Funny, the only problem I have is with the Matrox P650 video board in my new computer, with XP Home SP2. On my other computer, I have an older Matrox G550 working on Win XP SP2, with one monitor using Digital and one using Analog in a dual-monitor configuration. MS .NET was not required for this installation - about two years ago. So, dear Matrox tech guru, maybe the problem is with the P650 and/or your drivers, and not with Windows or SP2. I notice that you have AMD 64 drivers for one of your older cards. How can you not have AMD 64 drivers for a newer one? I am searching the ATI cards for an alternative that will actually allow my two-monitor setup, one digital and one analog, to work.

Since I wrote the above about .NET Framework, I have discovered an ugly truth. Several more pieces of hardware require that .NET Framework be installed on your hard drive. For example, in addition to my new Matrox P650 video card at least some of the ATI Radeon video cards. The .NET installation creates a new User for .NET Framework. This is a pain, because now you can no longer turn on your computer and make coffee while it boots. A logon screen comes up with your main User name (if you have only one) and you have to be at the computer to click on the User icon to finish the boot process. There is no choice shown for .Net Framework user, you can find that in Control Panel/Users - if you ever need it. I am now searching for where in the Registry there is a tweak that can bypass this pause to make you click on a single-user logon icon and boot all the way without interruption.

Update regarding .NET Framework SP 1.1: .NET Framework SP 1.1 had been showing up on my Windows Update, but it was too large for me to comfortably download and install on a dialup connection. On my old computer, I did not even have .NET Framework installed. I went to my broadband access in town and downloaded SP 1.1 and installed it on my new computer. Now, my computer boots normally - that is, all the way without a User logon required and, .NET Framework is no longer listed under Control Panel/Users. And for now, I don't care how or why. If you need it, you can find it under Control Panel/Administrative Tools.

The original version of .NET Framework was 1.1.4322.573. There is apparently a bug in the SP 1.1 update that does not show the updated version number once it is installed. You can download Belarc Advisor (wwww.belarc.com) - which you should always have on your computer anyway - and it will tell you which version of .NET Framework you have. After SP1.1, the version is 1.1.4322.2032. Or you can use your file manager to go to: C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\V1.1.4322, right click on MSCORWKS.DLL and check the version number. After all of this, when I do Windows Update, .NET Framework SP 1.1 is no longer listed. This all only took about five hours to figure out by searching the Web. I am burning both the original .NET Framework file and the SP 1.1 patch to a CD - just in case. Don't you admire the world's biggest software company, whose first quarter profits were a paltry 2.9 billion dollars? They never get anything right the first time - or the second. Even the Service Pack for .NET has bugs. Terrific!

After updating .Net Framework, reinstalling the Matrox 650 video drivers and downloading the latest Samsung drivers for my two LCD panels, I finally got them working, one in digital mode and the other in analog (as one has only an analog output). Thus, I feel so sorry for the people who listened to the Matrox tech on the forum who told them to uninstall Win XP's SP2. If I have any more trouble with the Matrox P650, I am buying an ATI Radeon card, since I have no faith in the help(?) suggested by Matrox on their forum.

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Flu Shots Are Not Perfect - Flu Prevention Tips

The shortage of flu vaccine has placed a greater emphasis on the efficacy of the shots and what we can do to prevent the flu - even if we have had a shot. Too many people think that if they get a flu shot, they can pretty much ignore good flu hygiene. Consider the following taken from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site (www.cdc.gov/flu):

Updated Dec 10, 2003: How effective is the flu shot? With the flu shot, when the "match" between vaccine and circulating strains is close, the vaccine prevents influenza in about 70%-90% of healthy persons younger than age 65 years. Among elderly persons living outside chronic-care facilities (such as nursing homes) and those persons with long-term (chronic) medical conditions, the flu shot is 30%-70% effective in preventing hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza. Among elderly nursing home residents, the flu shot is most effective in preventing severe illness, secondary complications, and deaths related to the flu. In this population, the shot can be 50%-60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu.

So, flu shot or not, here are some things you can do to help prevent the flu - and colds.

Stay out of crowds. If someone is sniffling or coughing, move away as fast as possible. When out and about, do not touch your hands to your nose, mouth, or eyes. This is really hard to remember - but it is absolutely imperative! If the nose itch is overwhelming, I use my forearm to rub my nose. Consider limiting your visits to fast food outlets or restaurants. Who will be serving you and preparing the food? Those who probably did not get a flu shot.

When shopping with a cart, clean the handle with a disposable wipe cloth impregnated with Lysol or Purell (see later). If you must open a door, wipe the knob or grasp bar. Where possible, I use one finger to hook a grasp bar on a door, or push the door open with my elbow. I use baby wipes and carry a can of Lysol in the truck. Yes, it is a lot of trouble. But think of how many people have had their grimy hands on that shopping-cart handle or that door handle. Don't be ashamed to wear rubber or latex gloves while shopping, or during the peak of the flu season to wear a mask, such as sold for use while spraying paint, etc. Just tell anyone who looks at you funny, "I could not get a flu shot this year."

Carry a small plastic container of Purell or a similar generic germ-killing lotion. This not an antibacterial soap, it is a creamy liquid which claims to kill 99.99% of germs. You rub it in on your hands and it soaks into the skin, so that no wiping is required. Use this germ-killer when you get back to your vehicle after being out in public, or more often if you care to. There are pump bottles and small flat bottles about the size of a Zippo lighter, the latter can be carried in a purse or jacket pocket. If you stop for gas, use the Purell or a comparable product once again.

Did you buy two doughnuts or a couple of cookies while you were cruising around? I have always been careless about eating them on the run. No more. I either use Purell to cleanse my hands, or wait until I get home to partake - after my hands are washed.

Germs can float around and stick to the hairs in your nose. Carry a small spray-bottle of saline solution mist in your vehicle. After you have been exposed to groups of people in a public setting, when you return to your vehicle spray the saline solution into your nose and blow into a tissue.

When you return to your home or office, wash your hands with dish detergent, such as Joy, not an antibacterial soap. A surgeon once had me use Hibiclens(available only at the pharmacy) to wash and use during showers in the days leading up to my bypass operation. Later, I read a study that said common dish-washing detergent was even better at killing germs when you wash your hands. There is a lot of evidence that anti-bacterial soaps are counter-productive. They kill the minor germs and allow the meaner ones to prosper. Of course, you have a second spray-bottle of saline solution and you will once again spray into your nose and blow into a tissue.

Kleenex has a new anti-viral tissue that says on the box: "Kills 99.9% of Cold & Flu Viruses." The info on the back of the box says that there is a middle layer that kills 99.9% of cold and flu viruses in the tissue within 15 minutes. I bought a couple of boxes, although I was not really sure what they are supposed to guard against, if it takes 15 minutes to kill the viruses. My best guess is that if you have a cold or the flu and blow your nose, the germs in the tissue will be killed in 15 minutes, which apparently (may be?) is better than tossing a regular (non anti-viral) germ-laden tissue in a trash basket right next to your recliner. On the theory that the germs will waft back into the air from in the trash basket? Whatever. It sure is clever marketing, given the flu shot shortage. I guess I will use my two boxes of anti-viral Kleenex to blow into after I spray my nose with saline solution upon returning home. If there are any germs in my nose that get flushed out, my trusty Kleenex will kill them with 15 minutes. Man, is that stretching a point to justify my impulse purchase?

If you are a senior citizen, get a pneumonia shot. Yes, they have them. Some say one shot is good for a lifetime, but my research indicates that for an old geezer, a booster shot about every 10 years is a good idea. I had my booster last year, after about 10 years. My cardiologist agreed that it was probably a good idea.

I know. This all sounds like a lot of work and maybe a little stupid - and possibly overkill. The consequences of failure to maintain good flu hygiene may be at best a nasty bout of flu and at the worst death. Trust me, I have evolved this regimen over many years of studying the transmission of colds and flu. If you live in a household with someone who has a cold or the flu, you have a special problem. But frequent hand washing and saline nasal sprays can help. And ask them to keep their distance, especially if they cough - and of course to cover their mouth during a cough.

Some places around the house that are obvious collectors of germs are wall light switches, the refrigerator-door handle, telephone handsets, computer keyboards, sink faucets, the handle on the toilet, and door knobs. All these could benefit from periodic wipes with a Lysol-soaked paper towel.

The kitchen is a hot bed for collecting and breeding germs. I never use a cutting board to prepare sliced or diced foods. I use a paper plate and toss it out. I wash my hands with Joy (or similar) before and after I prepare food. Don't use a cloth towel to dry your hands after you have washed them. Use a paper towel. Never wipe the counter with a dishrag. Soak the dishrag in a bleach/water solution, hang the wet dishrag so that it can air dry, and toss it in the washer frequently. Dishrags are cheap. Buy a dozen at Dollar General. Use a sponge to clean counter tops and periodically soak the sponge(s) in a bleach solution to kill the germs. Sponges are cheap. Replace them often. Use Lysol or a bleach/water solution to clean the counter tops where you prepare food and wipe dry with a paper towel. Pour some bleach down your sink drains from time to time.

Now, this one you might argue with me on. I never use the dishwasher. I either wash the plates and silverware with Joy right after a meal and let them air dry in a sink drainer, or I submerse them in soapy water until I can get around to finishing the job. If you hand dry stuff with a "dish towel" you are just asking to accumulate germs on that towel. I seldom use hot water, unless a plate is greasy. You just ate off the plate. If the food was not contaminated, why wouldn't a simple soaping, rinsing, and air drying make it "clean"? It is dried food particles left on plates and silverware that breed germs. I Keep a tall plastic tumbler next to the sink. If I see or feel any sticky residue on a knife, fork, or spoon, I fill the tumbler with soapy water and let the flatware soak for a long time. Then, I do use hot water to wash and rinse the items.

Here is a quote from a registered plumber's Web site, which is confirmed elsewhere: "A residential dishwasher needs 140-160°F (60-70°C) degrees for proper cleaning." In other words, it takes at least 140F to start to kill germs!

But, as the Wisconsin Dept. of Health and Family services points out:

From March through May 1998, the Bureau of Quality Assurance cited and assessed forfeitures for hot water temperatures that ranged between 130-160 degrees F (in places like nursing homes, etc.). At these temperatures, severe, full-thickness scalding that causes irreversible second and third-degree burns can occur in 1 to 30 seconds. At 140 degrees, first-degree burns can occur in less than 2 seconds. Too-hot water may be particularly dangerous for the elderly and handicapped who may have circulatory or neurological disabilities that prevent instantaneous recoil from too-hot water. As a result, they may more easily be burned than other people. Recently, at least three CBRF residents and one adult family home resident in Wisconsin have received serious injuries from hot-water burns.

There are valves and mixers than can supply water in the 140 degree and up range to dishwashers and clothes washers and water at less than 130 degrees to faucets and showers. Not in my house. The water at the sink tap, dishwasher, and for the clothes washer, is about 122-125 degrees. Now, you know why I never use the dishwasher, but I have few dishes to clean, given the number of paper plates I use. I set the clothes washer on Warm Wash, Cold Rinse, since the Hot water is not hot enough to kill germs. The Warm water probably helps the soap work its way into the fabrics.