Stem Cell Now - book review

Stem Cell Now, From the Experiment That Shook the World to the New Politics of Life by Christopher Thomas Scott is one of those books that should be required reading by anyone who will be called upon to vote on the subject of stem cell research and practices. It is scientific, level-headed, fair, balanced, and extremely informative. It is written in a way that is easy for laymen to understand. It presents a short but complete history leading up to the current situation and it details where we're going depending on the choices that are being made right now.

Scott gives a glowing picture of all the might be possible with stem cell therapies and tried to place the possibilities in a time context that is realistic even though both doctors and patients don't really want to hear that side. We want cures and we want them now. He also describes the failures and the side effects. But all these are routine, like polio and smallpox.

The real issue for stem cell therapy is that it treads on religious issues and causes people to scream ethics when they really mean religion. Some religions dictate that 8-celled blastocysts be treated with the same reverence as children or adults who have Parkinson's or diabetes. Others demand that everything be done to cure diseases. Under some proposed legislation doctors and even patients who use stem cell therapy may be criminalized for using the best that science has to offer. And a whole generation of Americans may find out what it's like to be a developing nation as far as stem cell therapy is concerned as our biologist simply move to countries and institutions where research may be not only funded but legal.

Scott makes it clear - there will be stem cell research, embryonic stem cell research, and there will be major breakthroughs. The horse has left the barn and money will follow success. The question is only how soon and whether America will be a part of the success.

Yuck of makeup

One of the more difficult aspects for me in participating in Oliver! has been the need to wear make-up. Women who wear make-up regularly or even occasionally probably can't relate to the distaste I feel in having to put on make-up. I thought at first that I could get by without it. The first couple of days of Tech Week I did not put any on. Then the director in one of her past-rehearsal briefings asked if someone would volunteer to "help Mr. Brownlow with his make-up". Subtle.

Carolyn volunteered to help me the next evening. We went shopping for appropriate materials keeping it as simple as I could. There was no question that I had to suppress the shininess of my face and bald head, my eyebrows tend to disappear behind my glasses, and my lips need darkening. I observed Carolyn's technique that first night and have been able to reasonably repeat it for subsequent performances. Another actor's wife who continues to apply his make-up even complemented me on my make-up.

But I'll never enjoy it!

The Day after Thanksgiving

There are a lot of traditions that have grown up around Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving. Because so many people travel to spend time with family it has now become a two-day holiday for many employers. However, for one kind of company it is anything but a holiday - retailers. Our paper yesterday was larger than a usual Sunday paper with twice as many advertisements as we usually see on a busy weekend. And many of the stores were advertising sales beginning as early as 5:30 a.m. I guess that's supposed to start the day off with a bang.

Although we often go out sometime for a little shopping, I try to avoid the crowds as much as possible. Our tradition is rather to spend the day getting the house ready for the holidays and putting up Christmas decorations. This year with the whole family visiting, we were able to do in one morning what would have taken 3 or 4 weekends.

While one crew worked outside cleaning gutters, mowing the lawn,

trimming the rosebushes,

and putting up some of the outside lights,

others were working inside putting up the artificial Christmas tree, the several nativity scenes, and the Norman Rockwell village. There was plenty for all to do.

Then, based on their various interests, the families scattered for the afternoon entertainment - Stanford Mansion, Fairy Tale Land, Funderland, the shopping malls, or trying to get some serious homework done. We'll all gather again at the end of the day to eat supper then see Grandpa's performance in "Oliver!"

A Day of Thanksgiving

It was a truly wonderful day. Of course, we started the day a little apprehensive with half our family on the road. As each of them "checked in" we breathed a sigh of relief and were glad to see the last family arrive.

We held most of the festivities over at Ed & Tiffany's place since they have the yard with the play set and lots of room to run around. There house is also a bit more "kid friendly". They also have both picnic tables and an extra refrigerator which helps make the cooking and serving work a little better.

We are so thankful this year that everyone is in tolerably good health; that we are expecting another grandchild next spring (Philip & Jenny); that everyone is employed at something that is honest and rewarding including stay-at-home moms; that the grandkids are growing up and becoming more capable each day.

Like last year we made it a family activity to make gingerbread houses from kits. All the kids (even the adult ones) enjoyed that activity.

We are truly Thankful!

Meals on Wheels - part 2

Several people have expressed interest in my volunteering to deliver meals as part of the Sacramento County's Senior Nutrition program. One of the most frequent questions is "who qualifies to receive such services?" I must admit that I was surprised at the wide range of neighborhoods and homes that we delivered to. I was also a little surprised at how relatively few meals are delivered in a county as large as Sacramento. According to the program's web site, they deliver about 1,200 meals per day in a county that has a population of roughly 1.5 million. That is less than 0.1 percent.

I called the program to verify the qualifications for receiving meals and was informed that it is really quite simple:
1. Be age 60 or older
2. Be medically homebound and frail
3. Live in Sacramento county

A call to the program (916-444-9533) starts the process. After a phone interview, a county human assistance worker will likely visit the home to verify age and medical condition. There does appear to be a waiting list but I was unable to determine how large it is. The reason is partially due to the country's budget limitation and partially due to the number of volunteer drivers available. Until recently, the size of the central food preparation facility was also a significant factor.

The Gathering

It's Thanksgiving time! We have a lot to be thankful for - one of which is that this year we should be able to have all our children and grandchildren gathered together once again. The first ones to arrive (not counting Ed & family who live in Sacramento) were Philip and Jenny who flew in last night. Another family will be coming tomorrow and half the family will be driving in Thursday morning. I actually appreciate some of the early arrivals as it allows us to visit a little more intimately. The big group is fun, too, of course, but conversations are a little more difficult.

We treasure each of these times when the kids can come here. Based on our experience, there comes a time when traveling for the holidays becomes more and more difficult. Traveling, in general, is becoming more difficult. So we appreciate each of the children making the special effort while they can.

Books on tape

One of the blessings I have enjoyed in Sacramento was the general lack of long distance commuting with correspondingly little time in the car. But with all the play rehearsals lately, I've had to spend at least an hour doing the round trip to Davis and back. On Carolyn's advice, I have taken up Books on Tape to make the trip a little less painless. It doesn't take many round trips to Davis to get through a 7 or 8 hour book. Unfortunately, one also gets "hooked" on the book so I listen to it during the 5 or 10 minute runs around town, getting little snippets of the story.

Still, it's not like the time I was commuting from Long Beach to Chatsworth which was often 1.5 to 2 hours each direction. I had to be really careful in selecting my books then so that I wouldn't get even more keyed up by the book than the traffic was making me already.

Critical Review of Oliver!

This review of Oliver! by theater critic Bev Sykes also appeared in the November 14, 2006 edition of the Davis Enterprise. She even took note that

A long-time subscriber who has been watching from the audience for years finally decided to get his feet wet in this production.

The show must go on!

The ticketholders have paid their money. Everyone is starting to come by twos, fours, and other combinations into the theater. From their standpoint it is a normal evening at the theater.

But on the other side of the curtain there is near panic. Noel is sick, Andrew is in the hospital with pneumonia, Brian is feeling very queasy. Quick assessments are being made. Obviously if someone is not feeling well but is physically present and capable of filling their role, they are encouraged to do so. It may not be the best performance of their career but it will be a performance. And we just don't have the luxury of understudies for parts in community theater.

But when the person is out literally or functionally it is a different matter. Even an ensemble part is key since dance pairings, choreography cues, and stage hand responsibilities are assigned to everyone. But missing people with key dialog and musical number roles can be near disasters. Another "less important or visible" part may be "robbed" or borrowed which then creates yet another hole in the lineup. Scripts are furiously studied, songs hastily practiced, and interacting actors are briefed on the changes. Replacement actors sometimes appear on stage still holding their scripts, depending frantically on cues from fellow actors for entrances and exits. The audience may or may not hear the repeated verses of a song or notice the missing parts. Let's hear it for the substitutes! We all pull together and the show goes on!

DMTC - survives because of volunteers

In a good-hearted show of support, Carolyn will be attending at least three of my performances as a ticket holder and several others including a dress rehearsal and as a volunteer usher. I don't think she planned the last one but she found out that community theater is sort of "catching". They catch everybody they can to help out.

The theater is more than just a company that produces plays. It really is a family that allows people to enjoy their talents, develop those talents, and help others develop and enjoy their talents. We used to wonder why we kept seeing the same names appear again and again on programs. But it really is as simple as being part of the family.

Give It Up - book review

Give It Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less by Mary Carlomagno might be likened to "Walden Pond" but Carlomagno is no Thoreau. The premise of the book is certainly captivating - we live in such a super-saturated world with so many THINGS, maybe we would actually be happier with less THINGS in our life. She then goes on to describe how she eliminated one thing from her life each month for a year. The problem I have is with the list of THINGS that she chooses to forgo: alcohol, shopping, elevators, newspapers, cell phones, dining out, televisions, taxis, coffee, cursing, chocolate, and multitasking. Most of those things appear to me to be anything but a necessary part of life and parting with any of them would be about as painful as parting with a toothache.

Now I'll admit that I'm fond of chocolate and cell phones have sometimes made my life easier. My mother-in-law was certain that I couldn't live without newspapers but that probably came from my trying to find something in her house to read that was published after World War II. Television is only as useful to me as it fits my schedule so it was only with the recent gift of a Tivo that I have begun watching TV again.

Carlomagno has much more trouble giving up all these things and that is really the fun of the book. In a vertical world of skyscrapers elevators are important and doing without leads to unexpected workouts. Giving up taxis means taking mass public transportation, a skill many of us don't possess. Likewise eliminating dining out means actually having to use our kitchens for cooking - what a concept. I actually enjoyed the book for what it is, a quick, fun read and a humorous look into the life of a New Yorker.

Meals on Wheels

One of the volunteer opportunities that has interested me since I first saw the article in the paper is that of driver/deliverer for Meals on Wheels. In Sacramento this program is administered by the county Senior Nutrition Services. I began the process of becoming a volunteer a couple of weeks ago when I downloaded, completed, and sent in my application. I suspect it will be at least that much longer before I'm actually in service. The usual red tape.

But this morning I had the opportunity to visit the main facility where the meals are prepared...

and packaged and loaded into insulated bags for delivery.

Some are loaded into large trucks and taken to branch sites where there is both congregate eating and satellite distribution efforts.

Others are taken by employees and volunteers directly to homes of people who can't routinely get out of the house or are too far away to enjoy the congregate meal facilities. Full-time employee Al got the short straw and was rewarded by having me accompany him on his route this morning. During the course of about 2 hours we dropped off 20 hot meals (beef stroganoff), 21 5-pack frozen dinners, and 2 shelf-stable meals. Everyone seemed delighted to see us and several wanted to spend more time talking than we really had available. The meals must be delivered within a two-hour time period. They are also checked to ensure that they are still warm by the time they reach their destination.

By the end of the route, I was pretty certain this would be a nice weekly activity for me. And we didn't even have to use the box of dog treats in the back of the van to pacify any meddlesome dogs on the route.

Tule Fog

Fog
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
.............Carl Sandburg

This is the time of year when fog blankets the Sacramento area at seemingly random times and at random intervals. You sometimes awaken to find your neighborhood in a cloud of mist and other times you find your field of vision shortening in the late afternoon. When it is really thick here, it is called a “tule” fog referring to the tules or reeds of the marshland habitats. The following is from the San Jose Mercury News Weather Corner:

It is commonly known as ""tule fog'' because of its prevalence in marshy areas populated by tule reeds or cattails. Technically it's a radiation fog, which forms as the ground cools off at night and radiates heat into space.

Tule fog usually forms on the first or second clear night after it has rained, skies have cleared, and winds are light. This happens when high pressure returns, creating an inversion with colder air near the earth's surface than aloft. This in turn causes moisture on the ground to condense into a low-lying layer of fog that develops from the ground up. Because the coldest air settles into the lowest elevations, such as along a river or stream, this is where fog is most likely.

Twenty years ago the tule fog would ground all airplanes in the area and prevent landings as well. I’ve flown from Orange County airport to Sacramento and back again without landing because of the fog. Nowadays, the danger is more on the ground with freeway accidents being especially bad. People just can’t believe their visibility range really is less than 100 feet at times. Even with visibility at 1/8 mile, a driver going 65 only has 7.5 seconds after seeing an obstacle to react and avoid it. At 100 feet, a driver has only 1 second.

Jerky time

For the past 5 years I've given out small packets of beef jerky to friends and co-workers. It's become so popular that several people were worried that my retirement might mean an end to the practice. What can I say?

Today I started on the first of many batches by grinding the "special" spices with my mortar & pestle to ensure as even a distribution as I can through the hamburger.

The meat is then extruded through a special press that forms long strips almost like bacon. The strips are laid out on the trays of our dehydrator.

Using three pounds of lean ground beef, I fill up 7 dehydrator trays then turn on the dehydrator for 6 to 7 hours.

The result is a product that isn't as salty or strong as some you find in the stores. And as I said, it will be in high demand this season.

Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace - book review

Ahmad's War, Ahmad's Peace by Michael Goldfarb is one of those books which is so interesting and pertinent now but will probably soon be relegated to the back shelves of any library or book store in which it is found.

Michael Goldfard needed an interpreter for his work as a radio correspondent in pre-war Iraq. Ahmad Shawcat was fortunately available and thus a relationship was born that led to this book. Ahmad was an educated man, a man who wss most comfortable among intellectuals and students, sharing with them his experience and knowledge about his ethnic Kurdish culture as well as his beloved Mosul in the greater Iraq which was his home his entire life. Although he survived under the Sadam Hussein regime, he was always looked on with suspicion because he spoke his mind. And because he spoke his mind, he was also arrested and tortured several times under Sadam's authoritarian government.

He lived to see his dream of Sadam Hussein's overthrow only to see his dream vanish in the smoke and gunfire of the uncontrolled aftermath of the U. S. invasion. He saw the worst of the pre-invasion politicians being handed the reigns of the post-invasion government in Iraq. The infighting, both political and physical, made him a suspected stranger in Kurdish territory and led to his assassination in Mosul. No one in Iraq is capable (or very anxious) to solve his murder.

Although primarily a biography of Ahmad, this book gives the reader a real flavor of life in Iraq. It does not give the reader a feeling that things will get better there for a long, long time.

Autograph protocol

Of course, one of the "highs" about performing is hearing the audience reaction - the laughs, the applause, the groans. And, for me, a first request for my autograph. I don't flatter myself, the young girl had a program and was trying to get as many of the cast to sign as she could. But being new to this sort of thing I was puzzled. How does one sign a program - Mr. Brownlow or Arnold Loveridge? I took the easy way out and actually signed both ways. Some day when I'm a rich and famous actor (and hell freezes over) she'll have a very valuable program.

Consider Yourself part of the family

Opening night was a smash hit - at least as far as many of the cast felt. We celebrated with cake and champagne/sparkling cider at the theater then adjourned to Baker's Square in Davis. Some of us had eaten light so that our stomach could enjoy the pre-show butterflies better. So we were pretty hungry. Others just needed a light snack because it had been several hours since we ate and we were too wired to go to sleep. And mostly we just wanted to share each other's company a little longer.

We had an adult table and a young persons table with the noise level considerably less at the adult table.

At the adult table I learned three new "show business" terms:

newborn - Tonight I became a newborn and henceforth in discussions about the DMTC pre-November 10 was "before I was born" and therefore how could I know anything about it.

virgin - before tonight I was also a virgin, unfamiliar with the ways of the show business and therefore not expected to be able to contribute much. Now, I have experience, something to put on my bio.

blah-blah-blah - When I auditioned for, and got, the part of Mr. Brownlow I was a blah-blah-blah, an unknown, untried entity. I could have been the best thing to happen to DMTC or a potential disaster in the making. It was a leap of faith for Jan to cast me. Now, I'm no longer a blah-blah-blah for DMTC. If I ever try out for a part again, I'll be "you know, the guy who played Brownlow in 2006".

Opening night

I guess we're as ready as we're going to be. Here I am in my street vendor costume which I play in the first act.

And here I am as Mr. Brownlow, Oliver's grandfather, in the second act.

Other than a couple of embarrassing lapses of memory on my part and my having no apparent ability to ad lib to cover the lapses, I think the rehearsals have gone very well. The show has come together much better than I could ever have imagined from the earlier sessions. But it will owe any success it has to the very professional-like performances of the key actors and the enthusiasm of the rest of the troupe. All that inspired and directed, of course, by the producers and directors Jan and Steve. And I mustn't forget the very great effort put forth by our accompanist. What a difference she has made to the show!

RSVP - Retired Senior Volunteer Program

My quest for interesting and useful activities to do since retiring has become significantly easier. Sacramento County is one of the agencies which has an agreement with and grant from the Corporation for National Service, an arm of AmeriCorps. RSVP is a national program with some federal funding but it is locally administered. I'll have to say, it appears that at least on first sight it is administered well in Sacramento.

I made an appointment with the Director of Volunteers this morning and was treated to a couple of hours description of the program and several dozen agencies in the area who have need of volunteer assistance. It appears that RSVP is not only a handy central referral agency but they also track to some degree the satisfaction of the volunteers who sign up with each agency. This provides a certain amount of quality control as agencies who don't seem to keep their volunteers don't get any more, at least through RSVP.

The choices I saw were so many and so varied that I decided I needed to do more homework rather than select what I wanted right there. But I suspect I will have a much better chance of finding good opportunities through RSVP than if I had just myself and the phone book.

Election results

No, I'm not going to try to compete with the networks and big-time blogs in reporting who won the election and what it means for our country. I'm just going to make the observation that there will probably be as many opinions as there were votes. One of the problems with our one dimensional voting system (yes/no, up/down, in/out) is that ultimately we don't know what the election means. We only know who won and who lost.

We can't tell all the nuances of choice like whether or not people were voting for the lesser of two evils or voting against the biggest problem rather than the best solution. Nor can we know how much the public debate or the attack ads figured into people's choices. Personally, I put a lot of weight into endorsements but not the way they're usually considered. For example, when considering the California ballot initiative propositions, I look at who is supporting and who is opposing. The organizations I disagree with, suspect, or feel have a major conflict of interest - I vote the opposite of their recommendations.

But in spite of this lack of our ability to quantify voters' intent and reasoning, you'll be hearing politician and pundits alike proclaiming a "repudiation" of this and a "mandate" for that. Maybe we need more choices than just for and against.