Russell Atkinson's Blog, page 72
December 17, 2017
The Late Show by Michael Connelly
The Late Show by Michael Connelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is as good as it gets. Connelly has produced another masterful police procedural, his best in a long time, although they’re all good. His phenomenal accuracy in describing every detail of how a good LAPD detective thinks and acts still amazes me. Not that I was in the LAPD, but I was in law enforcement. This is a mystery that you can put together yourself if you pick up on all the clues and are as smart as Renee Ballard, Connelly’s new detective.
Ballard is a surfer from Hawaii and one tough cookie, attractive enough to get hit on or harassed, but hard-nosed enough to give as good as she gets. As usual the author has more than one investigation going and Ballard is working them all – a transsexual who got beaten with brass knuckles, a multiple homicide that took place in a bar, and later, the murder of a cop, her former partner. Of course, like Bosch, she has the reputation of being a pain in the ass to the brass. To avoid spoilers, I’ll leave it at that plot-wise.
I listened to it on disc and the reader, Katherine Moennig, was both good and bad. She had the right tough cookie voice and was a good actress but her frequent mispronunciations detracted from her reading: joolery-jewelry, supposably-supposedly, My-Ako – Miyako. She just didn’t sound smart enough to be Ballard.
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December 16, 2017
New Crosswords
I’ve put a couple of new crosswords up on my crossword site. Just click on the image to go there.
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December 13, 2017
Not me
Interesting article here. For the record, I am not on Mueller’s investigation team and I did not contribute to the Clinton campaign or the Trump campaign. I do not know, nor have I ever previously heard of, the Russ Atkinson in the story.
“Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein is answering questions in Congress this morning. In the light of the clearly partisan views of Peter Strzok, which Ed wrote about this morning, Republicans are looking to question the partisanship of the team assembled by Special Counsel Mueller to investigate Russian interference in the election. … Next, again in alphabetical order, Russ Atkinson. He donated to the Clinton campaign last year. Again, zero to the Trump campaign.”
Full article here: Hot Air
December 12, 2017
Designer Babies – the CRISPR tool
A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution by Jennifer A. Doudna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The author is one of the scientists who helped invent the CRISPR tool that makes possible easy gene editing. The first half of the book gives the history of how the tool was discovered and improved. That part is quite technical. I found it interesting, but many will find it too difficult. It is also quite repetitive. How many times do we need to be told that scientists have used gene editing to create micropigs or that the tool can be used to find treatments for muscular dystrophy? For those not into the hard science, though, you can skip directly to Part II where the complex ethical and moral issues are discussed. The tool can be used to cure disease and to feed starving populations. Crops are already being made more resistant to pests or diseases, thus allowing for crops that have more nutritional value and which do not require pesticides, fungicides or other harmful chemicals, or at least not in the same volume as before. The author makes a compelling case for the value of gene editing and indeed for GMO foods, which are actually healthier both for the consumer and the environment than traditionally farmed foods, not to mention cheaper, yet 60% of Americans think they are somehow harmful or at least less desirable than traditional farming methods.
However, the CRISPR tool can also be used to modify the human genome. For now that is only being done therapeutically in somatic cells, i.e. ones that are not involved in reproduction. The genetic changes are only for an affected individual who is suffering from a genetic disease. But the technology can be used to modify egg and sperm cells’ DNA, either for good, such as repairing a defective gene that would have led to a horrible heritable disease in the child, or, in theory at least, to “designer babies” or some Nazi-inspired eugenics movement. Human embryos have been modified in the lab, although only non-viable triploid embryos were used. The author does an outstanding job of showing the different viewpoints and the goods and bads of gene editing. Personally I side squarely with those who are plunging forward with the research. I don’t fear an onslaught of designer babies. I doubt the technology will ever be used for cosmetic reasons except perhaps in a few dozen cases a year, if that, and that’s not likely to be harmful. Much more likely, it will be able to eliminate defective genes that nature provided by its random mutations, diseases like Duchennes muscular dystrophy, sickle cell disease, and early onset Alzheimer’s. Why some people consider that a bad thing is beyond me. Even the so-called “designer babies,” i.e. modifications not done to cure a disease, aren’t likely to be Aryan master race experiments or super athletes, but severely myopic parents who “design” a child with 20-20 vision, or musician parents who “design” a child with perfect pitch. I see these as helpful for everyone and not harmful. I am more concerned with the use of the technology in a way the author does NOT discuss – as a weapon. I can foresee some dictator (e.g. Assad) dropping genetically-modified unkillable bacteria or viruses on their enemies and a worldwide pandemic beginning. We must continue responsible genetic engineering to be able to prevent or protect against those who do not have the ethical or moral compass we do.
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December 6, 2017
Anagram on the News
The Silence Breakers, Person of the year = They kneel not as before; careers perish
The Silence Breakers
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December 2, 2017
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This unfinished memoir by a neurosurgeon who died of cancer documents his decline and suffering along with his aspirations and accomplishments during the period of his diagnosis and treatment. It contains a plethora of medical information that will be fascinating to those into brain science. Despite this, I cannot give it a high rating for two reasons: it is unnecessarily depressing and pretentious. The author almost wallows in self-pity at the unfairness and the suffering of his disease, and indeed it is a great loss not only to him, his friends, family, and colleagues but also to future patients who are denied his skill. He was no doubt a highly skilled and dedicated doctor, a fact I know only because he repeatedly tells us so. He tells us so in flowery, overwritten prose stuffed full of literary quotes, esoteric vocabulary, and accounts of his sacrifice and the admiration of colleagues. In addition he takes it upon himself to tell the reader what is important in life and how to live it as though he were an oracle or philosopher. Reading this I am reminded of the Smothers Brothers skit where the psychiatrist wears a badge that says M.D. and points to it while identifying himself as “me, deity.” The long epilogue by his wife places him on an even higher pedestal than he has placed himself.
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December 1, 2017
This is what Net Neutrality gets you
Also, Russian hackers and fake news.
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November 26, 2017
Prostate Cancer – Brachytherapy – part 10
It is Sunday, five days after my brachytherapy procedure. I am now going to focus on what the patient should expect rather than on the doctors and medical establishment. The short version is that my body received a major intrusion and it’s not all sweetness and light afterward. But it is bearable.
The first day or two were actually pretty easy. My perineum was tender, bruised, and swollen, but I could still sit comfortably with care. It had had sixteen large puncture wounds, so that’s not surprising. I had taken the generic Flomax on days 1 and 2 so I could manage to urinate reasonably well, although you should expect to have a small stream. The prostate is swollen. The penis also hurts, right at the tip. I don’t know if this is from the trauma of the catheter or perhaps even another instrument used in the urethra during the procedure. It still hurts now, five days later, although much less. I sat around in my recliner a lot and didn’t do much. I was able to sit on my office chair at the computer, too, but didn’t have a lot of energy. I think I only had to get up once each night.
Day three, Friday, things got worse. The penile pain was greater after having lessened over the preceding two days. I had felt some odd lightheadedness a couple of times in the preceding days which I suspected was due to the Flomax, so I decided to see if I could go without it. I did not have the lightheadedness, but my stream became much smaller, leading to more frequent urination and long bouts in the bathroom. That night I had to get up twice, and 1:00 AM and 4:00 AM and I was not able to get back to sleep after the second time. So when I finally dragged myself out of bed Saturday around 5:30 I was wiped out and I really wanted to be able to pee better, so I immediately took a Flomax. After another 10 minutes in the bathroom I got up to get dressed and have breakfast. Immediately I felt a wave of nausea and dizziness. I won’t go into detail, but the next miserable half hour was spent in the bathroom. I managed to keep the Flomax down, but it was nip and tuck. It was my fault for disregarding the instructions for the Flomax. You are supposed to take it on a full stomach – 30 – 120 minutes after a full meal. It’s powerful stuff and known side effects include nausea and dizziness. It’s important to take it with food so that it enters the bloodstream slowly. I never fully recovered yesterday. Thank heaven for college football. I could veg out in my recliner and watch something, even though I’m not much of a fan. I managed to eat and kept it down, but there was no way I could drive a car, for example. I was able to pee a lot better, though. The Flomax does work in that way.
Today I’m better. I ate a big breakfast and waited an hour before taking the Flomax. My urination is nearly painless and near normal. I took a short walk today. There is some discomfort in the perineal area from walking. I’m not as tender as I was, but I still have to sit carefully. I have yet to drive my car since the procedure. It’s boring sitting around so much and not being able to exercise, either at the gym or running. I am not feeling well enough to do anything creative like working on my latest novel. I left off writing that a week ago. I pulled out a big jigsaw puzzle so I would have something to keep my mind off my body. I am in recovery mode, there is no doubt.
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November 21, 2017
Prostate Cancer – What Doctors Do Wrong, part 9
Today’s the day. It’s 5:30 AM and I’ve had my shower and put on clean underwear as instructed by the emmi video.. Yesterday I got calls from the hospital, a very competent-sounding nurse who answered almost all my questions and from the anesthesiologist. Both asked me a nearly identical set of questions such as what previous surgeries have I had, do I have any drug allergies, and so forth. The nurse’s list was somewhat longer. One question she asked that surprised me was whether I had been taking my Flomax. I told her no and asked if I was supposed to. She seemed surprised I hadn’t had any instructions on that and said “It’s too late now, but you can still have the surgery.” So I guess I was supposed to start using that back when the pharmacy filled it. I just double checked the instructions I received from the scheduler and there is no mention of that prescription.
I’m not allowed to have anything to eat or drink, so I’ll just sit around and watch the morning news until my son arrives. To be continued …. I hope.
Okay, I survived. Except for the waiting and answering a zillion questions (mostly the same ones repeated), it wasn’t any worse than the biopsy. It ended up being 57 seeds, not 33. I never got an explanation as to why that number. The recovery room nurse said it was pretty standard, but she gave the normal range as 30 – 60, so it was near the high end. They said 17 were in the interior region, the rest on the the perimeter. Maybe when they decided not to do the EBRT they increased the number of seeds. Dr. K said he would insert the protective gel to prevent rectal damage from the radiation. Dr. A used the same line as after the biopsy, telling me right before the surgery that he would call my son in a half hour or so and “give him the good news.” That seems to be his shtick whether or not he is expecting good news. I won’t go into all the grisly details but the bottom line, no pun intended, is that they won’t release you until you can pass at least 100cc of urine. It took me a while, but I made it there and was sent home with my son. The nurse freaked out a bit when she used ultrasound to measure how full my bladder was, and it was almost at 500cc. She threatened to have Dr. A come down and catheterize me, which seemed to be all the motivation I needed.
I can walk around without significant discomfort, although I have to plop down carefully. The biggest surprise in my post-op instructions was that I am not to have my cat or other pet on my lap for 30 days. I don’t glow in the dark, but I am somewhat radioactive. Also no pregnant women or young children within six feet for that duration. I am not to ride a bicycle or do other activities that cause vibration for that same period, so running is out. I am supposed to avoid orange juice, tomato juice, and spicy foods because they can cause bleeding. So I guess that’s it for now. I do not have that “severe pain” the scheduler mentioned, nor was any pain medication prescribed. The post-op instructions just say to avoid Ibuprofen, which I would do anyway since I’m allergic. They didn’t even say no aspirin, but I’ll stick with acetaminophen for now. I’ll update the blog when something happens worth reporting, but that may be a few weeks away.
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November 18, 2017
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This very short, very accessible book on astrophysics, or, more accurately, astronomy with a bit of physics thrown in, is written in Tyson’s easy-going style. It is dumbed down to the point where even I can understand it. There’s relatively little scientific jargon, although one cannot escape basic terminology. The author seems to be trying to accomplish a few specific things: give readers confidence in the scientific method (and scientific establishment), an appreciation for how insignificant we humans are in the universe, and an understanding of the value of basic scientific research. Most readers will be accepting of these viewpoints and those who are unaccepting, such as some fundamentalists, probably won’t read this book. As one might expect in such a short book covering such a vast topic, it skims over a lot of complicated things and skips from topic to topic without any obvious pattern. I learned a few new factoids that I will never put to use outside a crossword puzzle, perhaps, but it’s a quick, pleasant enough read.
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