Sunday, July 27, 2003
As a runner (actually, now a walker) I am very upset that the photo, painting, letters from the Senate and other memorabilia regarding Alberto Arroyo have been removed from the Central Park Reservoir Gate House.
The materials were removed prior to the visit of Mayor Bloomberg to the gatehouse in regard to Conservatory sponsored renovations of the fence surrounding the reservoir. Probably someone wanted to "pretty up" the gatehouse. It may have "prettied" it up, but it was at the expense of a sense of tradition.
Alberto humanizes New York, and its sad that one of the true characters of our city has been pushed aside because of someone's mistaken idea of what is appropriate.
Alberto, 88 years old, is an inspiration to runners who see him everyday walking the reservoir track, cane in hand. Although he was never a postman, neither rain nor snow stops Alberto from making his daily rounds of the track.
Alberto has been at the track as long as I have been going there, and it is my understanding that he began running in the late fifties and hasn't stopped since.
He has been honored by the New York Road Runners Club, two mayors of New York, Henry Stern, and many others.
Part of the aura of Central Park is tradition. Alberto is a living tradition.
Can something be done to replace Alberto's plaque? If appearance is what is in question, a proper plaque should be installed on the wall of the Gatehouse.
Every runner who runs on a daily basis knows Alberto.
Buster Stronghart
The materials were removed prior to the visit of Mayor Bloomberg to the gatehouse in regard to Conservatory sponsored renovations of the fence surrounding the reservoir. Probably someone wanted to "pretty up" the gatehouse. It may have "prettied" it up, but it was at the expense of a sense of tradition.
Alberto humanizes New York, and its sad that one of the true characters of our city has been pushed aside because of someone's mistaken idea of what is appropriate.
Alberto, 88 years old, is an inspiration to runners who see him everyday walking the reservoir track, cane in hand. Although he was never a postman, neither rain nor snow stops Alberto from making his daily rounds of the track.
Alberto has been at the track as long as I have been going there, and it is my understanding that he began running in the late fifties and hasn't stopped since.
He has been honored by the New York Road Runners Club, two mayors of New York, Henry Stern, and many others.
Part of the aura of Central Park is tradition. Alberto is a living tradition.
Can something be done to replace Alberto's plaque? If appearance is what is in question, a proper plaque should be installed on the wall of the Gatehouse.
Every runner who runs on a daily basis knows Alberto.
Buster Stronghart
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Rocco's Restuarant
Maria and I tried Rocco's tonight to celebrate the news from Baghdad. Here's the scoop on the most publiczied restuarant opening in history.
/decor: sleek
food: not better than okay
noise: dangerous
price: too high for not better than okay food
wine: great list, priced fairly
service: Rocco took people off street in massive hiring spree. He must have forgotten to train them.
Maria and I tried Rocco's tonight to celebrate the news from Baghdad. Here's the scoop on the most publiczied restuarant opening in history.
/decor: sleek
food: not better than okay
noise: dangerous
price: too high for not better than okay food
wine: great list, priced fairly
service: Rocco took people off street in massive hiring spree. He must have forgotten to train them.
From the Bahgdad Blogger:
It is so unbelievable how they have wasted a chance to show Iraqis they really are doing something. It was the most useless of press conferences, first off this Sanchez speaks only in Militar-ese, meaningless words come out of his mouth while we are all hanging on the edge of our seats waiting for one single picture, definitive proof. It is so easy, all it takes is to show us the friggin’ corpses. They do have them. Someone did see them and when asked why it wasn’t sown to the public they came up with the moral issues stuff. Habibi it didn’t bother you that all those Iraqis, Americans and British are being killed for dubious reasons, so why suddenly become so squeamish? Give the Images to Jazeera, moral issues have never stopped them from showing gruesome images, let them do your dirty work. All I care about is knowing, seeing, being 100% doubt free and that press conference proved nothing. An Iraqi journalist stopped me at the door of that hall and asked me whether I am American media (this happens from hanging around NY Times people too much), I told him I wasn’t but I could put him in touch, he said he was a journalist with IMN (Iraqi Media Network, the coalition sponsored media tool) he said that he wanted to make sure that the American journalists understand that Iraqis have huge doubts and if we would go out on the street we would be told that the whole thing in Mosul was a farce. Actually I was on the street and did ask that question. And people do need proof. The Americans just fucked up. Just like they waited too long after the fall of Baghdad to show the Iraqis they have things under control they have fucked up again by first making the decision to kill the idiots and then not give us clear proof of their death.
At that press conference there was a gentleman who asked an extremely important question which was answered by Sanchez with “that is speculation. Next question.” I later found out that the man in front of me was Fisk and the question he asked which we all want to be answered was: why was the decision made to attack with a force that would have been capable of annihilating a city block? Why did they opt for killing them when they knew their importance as sources of information on all sorts of things and the wish all Iraqis have that they be put thru trial?
Fisk started the ball rolling, sanchez was asked the same question at least 5 times in different ways and with it the question of how to prove this to the Iraqi people. And what do we get? Meaningless militareses. Beyond disappointing.
What sort of wake up call do they need? You get people saying the Americans are slow, the Americans are not fulfilling their promises. Don’t fucking lose it, you are really stretching your luck, act act act. You came and gave people big hopes and you let them fall flat on their faces. I can’t believe that there has not been a single big celebration, I went to the office this morning and one of the photographers was asking “so where do you think they will be dancing in the streets?”. It doesn’t feel like there is a reason to celebrate. People are still being killed left and right.
The only people who are having parties are journos and NGO’s, oh and I hear OCPA has a disco night at the Rasheed Hotel once a week.
After the war with Iran was over people were in the streets for a whole night, dancing and singing.
I am just pissed off, this thing today has redefined anticlimactic for me. I still have hopes for the day they catch Saddam. Maybe we will have our street party then.
And I would like to add that Jazeera is the worst ever. They should be banned under Mullah Bremer’s Fatwa banning all pro-saddam/pro-ba’ath propaganda. That political analyst they have, something al-ani, is a fucking saddamite.
:: salam 2:07 PM [+] ::
It is so unbelievable how they have wasted a chance to show Iraqis they really are doing something. It was the most useless of press conferences, first off this Sanchez speaks only in Militar-ese, meaningless words come out of his mouth while we are all hanging on the edge of our seats waiting for one single picture, definitive proof. It is so easy, all it takes is to show us the friggin’ corpses. They do have them. Someone did see them and when asked why it wasn’t sown to the public they came up with the moral issues stuff. Habibi it didn’t bother you that all those Iraqis, Americans and British are being killed for dubious reasons, so why suddenly become so squeamish? Give the Images to Jazeera, moral issues have never stopped them from showing gruesome images, let them do your dirty work. All I care about is knowing, seeing, being 100% doubt free and that press conference proved nothing. An Iraqi journalist stopped me at the door of that hall and asked me whether I am American media (this happens from hanging around NY Times people too much), I told him I wasn’t but I could put him in touch, he said he was a journalist with IMN (Iraqi Media Network, the coalition sponsored media tool) he said that he wanted to make sure that the American journalists understand that Iraqis have huge doubts and if we would go out on the street we would be told that the whole thing in Mosul was a farce. Actually I was on the street and did ask that question. And people do need proof. The Americans just fucked up. Just like they waited too long after the fall of Baghdad to show the Iraqis they have things under control they have fucked up again by first making the decision to kill the idiots and then not give us clear proof of their death.
At that press conference there was a gentleman who asked an extremely important question which was answered by Sanchez with “that is speculation. Next question.” I later found out that the man in front of me was Fisk and the question he asked which we all want to be answered was: why was the decision made to attack with a force that would have been capable of annihilating a city block? Why did they opt for killing them when they knew their importance as sources of information on all sorts of things and the wish all Iraqis have that they be put thru trial?
Fisk started the ball rolling, sanchez was asked the same question at least 5 times in different ways and with it the question of how to prove this to the Iraqi people. And what do we get? Meaningless militareses. Beyond disappointing.
What sort of wake up call do they need? You get people saying the Americans are slow, the Americans are not fulfilling their promises. Don’t fucking lose it, you are really stretching your luck, act act act. You came and gave people big hopes and you let them fall flat on their faces. I can’t believe that there has not been a single big celebration, I went to the office this morning and one of the photographers was asking “so where do you think they will be dancing in the streets?”. It doesn’t feel like there is a reason to celebrate. People are still being killed left and right.
The only people who are having parties are journos and NGO’s, oh and I hear OCPA has a disco night at the Rasheed Hotel once a week.
After the war with Iran was over people were in the streets for a whole night, dancing and singing.
I am just pissed off, this thing today has redefined anticlimactic for me. I still have hopes for the day they catch Saddam. Maybe we will have our street party then.
And I would like to add that Jazeera is the worst ever. They should be banned under Mullah Bremer’s Fatwa banning all pro-saddam/pro-ba’ath propaganda. That political analyst they have, something al-ani, is a fucking saddamite.
:: salam 2:07 PM [+] ::
Sunday, July 20, 2003
Propaganda is despicable, no matter which side spews it out. Surely, the reader knows that anyone choosing violence of any kind for any reason risks innocent victimization.
IF
IF
IF .you have changed your email address let me know your new one.
What would you think of the proposal below, which was actually proposed by Leopold II, in Belgium and considered by Disraeli in England when the suffrage was first extended to all males over 25?
Every male citizen over 25 has the vote.
Those occupying taxable property were to have a second vote.
Those having successfully passed secondary school examinations would get an extra vote.
Civil Servants were to have an extra vote.
Heads of families would have an extra vote.
However, no one would have more than three votes.
Voting was to be made obligatory to ensure that moderates, who were frequently the politically indifferent, were not swamped by militants.
This proposal interests me because it addresses the tax question that has become a driving force of the militant conservatives in the country. The bonus vote to those who have families and to those who have educated themselves seems just.
The idea of required voting would work as conceived, it would smooth out the effects of radical ideas of the left and the right and would prevent minority militants of every stripe from controlling their parties as is the case today.
Your arguments pro or con are requested.
Mike GRATWICKER@AOL.COM
IF
IF
IF .you have changed your email address let me know your new one.
What would you think of the proposal below, which was actually proposed by Leopold II, in Belgium and considered by Disraeli in England when the suffrage was first extended to all males over 25?
Every male citizen over 25 has the vote.
Those occupying taxable property were to have a second vote.
Those having successfully passed secondary school examinations would get an extra vote.
Civil Servants were to have an extra vote.
Heads of families would have an extra vote.
However, no one would have more than three votes.
Voting was to be made obligatory to ensure that moderates, who were frequently the politically indifferent, were not swamped by militants.
This proposal interests me because it addresses the tax question that has become a driving force of the militant conservatives in the country. The bonus vote to those who have families and to those who have educated themselves seems just.
The idea of required voting would work as conceived, it would smooth out the effects of radical ideas of the left and the right and would prevent minority militants of every stripe from controlling their parties as is the case today.
Your arguments pro or con are requested.
Mike GRATWICKER@AOL.COM
Sunday, July 13, 2003
Current reading matter:
The Gardens of Light Amin Maalouf
Mesopotamia 200 years after the birth of Christ. the story of Mani (know the word Manicheism?) a prophet, a singular man who understood that Evil and Good are bound togethr by God and that it is our earthly duty to separate the two and live for Good. Mani live contemporaneously with the Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and he tried to incorporate pieces of each religion into Manichaeism. He acheived great success but died under torture and imprisoned. Manichaeism has become a pejoritive--especially in Catholic circles, but reading of his life puts his thought into a brighter light. He lived a rationalised versionof the Golden Rule; and had millions of disciples.
Leopold II of the Belgians, King of Colonialism Barbara Emerson.
Leopold owned the Congo personally and his evil is painted herein by a silken brush. I had wanted to read a newer version of his life, The Ghost of Leopold, but it was not available in the Great Neck Library.
IF
IF
IF .you have changed your email address let me know your new one.
The Gardens of Light Amin Maalouf
Mesopotamia 200 years after the birth of Christ. the story of Mani (know the word Manicheism?) a prophet, a singular man who understood that Evil and Good are bound togethr by God and that it is our earthly duty to separate the two and live for Good. Mani live contemporaneously with the Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and he tried to incorporate pieces of each religion into Manichaeism. He acheived great success but died under torture and imprisoned. Manichaeism has become a pejoritive--especially in Catholic circles, but reading of his life puts his thought into a brighter light. He lived a rationalised versionof the Golden Rule; and had millions of disciples.
Leopold II of the Belgians, King of Colonialism Barbara Emerson.
Leopold owned the Congo personally and his evil is painted herein by a silken brush. I had wanted to read a newer version of his life, The Ghost of Leopold, but it was not available in the Great Neck Library.
IF
IF
IF .you have changed your email address let me know your new one.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/ THIS IS THE ADDRESS OF THE BAGDHAD BLOGGER. A VERY INTERESTING BLOG.
http://ishtartalking.blogspot.com/ HERE'S ANOTHER: A WOMAN WHO WRITES IN ARABIC WITH TRANSLATIONS BELOW.
WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT IS TO LIVE IN WAR CONDITIONS, WE ARE VERY LUCKY BABIES. MEKHERE'S ANOTHER: A WOMAN WHO WRITES IN ARABIC WITH TRANSLATIONS BELOW.
http://ishtartalking.blogspot.com/ HERE'S ANOTHER: A WOMAN WHO WRITES IN ARABIC WITH TRANSLATIONS BELOW.
WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT IS TO LIVE IN WAR CONDITIONS, WE ARE VERY LUCKY BABIES. MEKHERE'S ANOTHER: A WOMAN WHO WRITES IN ARABIC WITH TRANSLATIONS BELOW.
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
drove out to Westhampton today with Maria to visit Jerry and Flo. Got into the cold Atlantic at Westhampton Beach and it was terrific.
The water was too cold for the other oldsters, and Jerry, Flo, and Maria remained ashore while I swam out past the waves. I like the cold water-better than Florida's piss-warm water. There were some nice rollers, not the great overwhelming ones that I would ride when I was nine or ten--but still nice ones. I liked being in the water and swimming, , letting the salt water into my mouth, opening my eyes under water. Perhaps the waves don't seem as high anymore because I am bigger--about 200 pounds today.
Well, if only, you know, if only we could afford a place there. ... I was surprized that Maria wanted lobster. We went to a lobster joint and ate a couple of 1 1/2 pounders each. I drank a couple of vodka/rocks to go along with the lobsters and a good time was had by all. Maria was the designated driver and got me home safe and sound.
Drive time from Great Neck to Westhampton? about an hour and a half--Maybe a few minutes less.
IF
IF
IF .you have changed your email address let me know your new one.
The water was too cold for the other oldsters, and Jerry, Flo, and Maria remained ashore while I swam out past the waves. I like the cold water-better than Florida's piss-warm water. There were some nice rollers, not the great overwhelming ones that I would ride when I was nine or ten--but still nice ones. I liked being in the water and swimming, , letting the salt water into my mouth, opening my eyes under water. Perhaps the waves don't seem as high anymore because I am bigger--about 200 pounds today.
Well, if only, you know, if only we could afford a place there. ... I was surprized that Maria wanted lobster. We went to a lobster joint and ate a couple of 1 1/2 pounders each. I drank a couple of vodka/rocks to go along with the lobsters and a good time was had by all. Maria was the designated driver and got me home safe and sound.
Drive time from Great Neck to Westhampton? about an hour and a half--Maybe a few minutes less.
IF
IF
IF .you have changed your email address let me know your new one.
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Capturing the Friedmans
" 'This is private, so if you're not me, you shouldn't be watching.' So warns David Friedman into a video camera as he records his dew-eyed rantings regarding the sex scandal that was devouring his family. At first you feel like a guilty voyeur to witness such raw emotions, but then you think: Wait, who else could have given the maker of "Capturing the Friedmans" the tape?
The contradiction is typical of the Friedman family and Andrew Jarecki's disturbing, multilayered, compulsively watchable documentary. Every time you think you have a handle on who these people are, what this story is, some new piece of information, usually ugly, gives you a fresh case of mental whiplash."
Critic in Portland, OR
"Jarecki's deft organization of the factual material provides the momentum for a never-flagging exposition of the complexities of the Friedman case; he parcels out pieces of information over the course of the film which keep changing the complexion of what has come before. This was a time when there was widespread hysteria in the United States over child molestation, with a number of high profile court cases (the McMartin case, for example) on the front pages for months on end. Therapists claimed to have uncovered repressed memories which sometimes turned out to be fictions planted during hypnotherapy. In the Friedman case, even the police acknowledge that there was not a single piece of hard evidence against the alleged perpetrators. On the other hand, Arnold's own voluntarily written personal history indicates that there was ample reason to consider the possibilities of misconduct.
The elusiveness of the truth about what did or did not happen in those computer classes is made evident; Jarecki lets his leanings show through, but he keeps his treatment evenhanded. There's no question, however, about the fallout of the case. The misery and the disintegration of the Friedman family is painfully documented in the film. The realities of the family relationships, particularly between Arnold and Elaine, and between Elaine and her sons, belie their own self-images and the projected image in the community of a happy middle class suburban family. And the denouement, complete with utterly conflicted stories between son Jessie and his own defense attorney, gives rise to bewildered wonderment over the justice system and its practitioners." Critic in Chicago
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you use Rotten Tomatoes as a movie guide you know that up to a hundred different critics are quoted in full about each movie. Then a rating is arrived at by a complex methodology not understood by this writer. However, I have never before seen a 96% consensus that any movie deserves from 4 to 5 stars out of 5. Capturing the Friedmans got a 96% rating.
If this movie doesn't disturb you, make you think, wake you up, and leave you in a quandary, nothing will.
For many years I have been bewildered by the "child molestation" hysteria that began with the McMartin case. The Friedman case is just as outrageous but there are certain elements that make the viewer believe that there might have been a case. But a case for what?
Friedman conducted computer classes in his home for boys from 8 to 16. A postal inspector reported that he had received one pedophile magazine from the Netherlands. Police came to his home with a search warrant to find the offending magazine and then to arrest him for possession of pornopgrahic-pedophilic materials.
A detective discovered that Friedman was giving computer classes for young boys and decided to put two and two together and then, after a lengthy and expensive investigation came up with testimony from children and teenagers that improper activities had taken place.
I have always distrusted eyewitness testimony, and eyewitness testimony from coached children is even more suspect. And don't get me started on recovered memories or hypnosis. I do not believe that the Truth can ever be determined when children are led to give answers satisfactory to adults, or hypnotists go to work on someone's memory.
Truth is always a mystery, and families and individual lives should not be destroyed by detectives who see crime under every rock, judges who have their eyes on public opinion, parents whose minds have been twisted by uncorroborated reports from detectives intent on developing witnesses, and ambitious prosecutors seeking not justice, but rather advancement.
I cannot tell you whether or not the Friedmans were guilty of anything (except possessing child pornography) but I can tell you that no thinking jury would have convicted them of the other horrible crimes of which they were accused.
This is an amazing documentary which should be seen by everyone interested in the law and in Truth.
" 'This is private, so if you're not me, you shouldn't be watching.' So warns David Friedman into a video camera as he records his dew-eyed rantings regarding the sex scandal that was devouring his family. At first you feel like a guilty voyeur to witness such raw emotions, but then you think: Wait, who else could have given the maker of "Capturing the Friedmans" the tape?
The contradiction is typical of the Friedman family and Andrew Jarecki's disturbing, multilayered, compulsively watchable documentary. Every time you think you have a handle on who these people are, what this story is, some new piece of information, usually ugly, gives you a fresh case of mental whiplash."
Critic in Portland, OR
"Jarecki's deft organization of the factual material provides the momentum for a never-flagging exposition of the complexities of the Friedman case; he parcels out pieces of information over the course of the film which keep changing the complexion of what has come before. This was a time when there was widespread hysteria in the United States over child molestation, with a number of high profile court cases (the McMartin case, for example) on the front pages for months on end. Therapists claimed to have uncovered repressed memories which sometimes turned out to be fictions planted during hypnotherapy. In the Friedman case, even the police acknowledge that there was not a single piece of hard evidence against the alleged perpetrators. On the other hand, Arnold's own voluntarily written personal history indicates that there was ample reason to consider the possibilities of misconduct.
The elusiveness of the truth about what did or did not happen in those computer classes is made evident; Jarecki lets his leanings show through, but he keeps his treatment evenhanded. There's no question, however, about the fallout of the case. The misery and the disintegration of the Friedman family is painfully documented in the film. The realities of the family relationships, particularly between Arnold and Elaine, and between Elaine and her sons, belie their own self-images and the projected image in the community of a happy middle class suburban family. And the denouement, complete with utterly conflicted stories between son Jessie and his own defense attorney, gives rise to bewildered wonderment over the justice system and its practitioners." Critic in Chicago
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you use Rotten Tomatoes as a movie guide you know that up to a hundred different critics are quoted in full about each movie. Then a rating is arrived at by a complex methodology not understood by this writer. However, I have never before seen a 96% consensus that any movie deserves from 4 to 5 stars out of 5. Capturing the Friedmans got a 96% rating.
If this movie doesn't disturb you, make you think, wake you up, and leave you in a quandary, nothing will.
For many years I have been bewildered by the "child molestation" hysteria that began with the McMartin case. The Friedman case is just as outrageous but there are certain elements that make the viewer believe that there might have been a case. But a case for what?
Friedman conducted computer classes in his home for boys from 8 to 16. A postal inspector reported that he had received one pedophile magazine from the Netherlands. Police came to his home with a search warrant to find the offending magazine and then to arrest him for possession of pornopgrahic-pedophilic materials.
A detective discovered that Friedman was giving computer classes for young boys and decided to put two and two together and then, after a lengthy and expensive investigation came up with testimony from children and teenagers that improper activities had taken place.
I have always distrusted eyewitness testimony, and eyewitness testimony from coached children is even more suspect. And don't get me started on recovered memories or hypnosis. I do not believe that the Truth can ever be determined when children are led to give answers satisfactory to adults, or hypnotists go to work on someone's memory.
Truth is always a mystery, and families and individual lives should not be destroyed by detectives who see crime under every rock, judges who have their eyes on public opinion, parents whose minds have been twisted by uncorroborated reports from detectives intent on developing witnesses, and ambitious prosecutors seeking not justice, but rather advancement.
I cannot tell you whether or not the Friedmans were guilty of anything (except possessing child pornography) but I can tell you that no thinking jury would have convicted them of the other horrible crimes of which they were accused.
This is an amazing documentary which should be seen by everyone interested in the law and in Truth.
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Well, I have to summarrize a whole week, and so I'll be brief with most of it.
We took the auto-train which saves a day of driving. The train leaves Sanford, Florida and arrives the next morning at Lorton, Va, near Baltimore, MD. We took a tiny compartment. Just like the old pullmans which I used to take to Raquette Lake, there are uppers and lowers. We flipped a coin and Maria took the upper and I got the lower which has a window. I like looking out the lights of the towns --or still better, the lights of lonely farm houses, sited on hills some distance from the tracks-- as we pass them. The bed is comfortable, firm, compact. the dining car is okay, of course, nothing like the service way back in the forties and fifties when there were line table clothes and heavy triplle plated flatware. Well, no more of that, and no white coated black porters either, ready to shine a shoe or fetch a drink. But we did sleep in a car named after A. Phillip Randolf, so I felt a pleasing connection with the past.
We left Lorton at about ten o'clock in the morning and flew to the Veranzanno Bridge in a few hours--but then hit a wall of traffic. It took three and half hours to get out to Montauk, so all we did was go to bed. the meetings of the Pension Fund started the next morning. we remain in the top decile of Taft-Hartley Plans.
Maria and her friends hiked to to the lighthouse, did some birdwatching and played tennis. After the first meeting i had a terrific massage. Dinner should have been skipped.
The second night's dinner was a lobster feast, you know all the lobster, clams, etc that you want. The lobsters were good for Montauk, but my memory of last summer at Maine kept my standards very high. bUT THEN, AT ABOUT 3:00 am MARIA COMMENCED TO VIOLENTLY VOMIT.
Correction in definition. An ischemia is a loss of blood flow. It might be to the heart: cardio-ischemia -- or to the brain, or a limb. The eyes too. And others. in the case of gastro-ischemia it is usually temporary but can be serious. Maria has been in a lot of pain. She is unable to eat, and is sleeping a lot. Even when Remi called she couldn't speak to her. Here is a list of her meds for those who have not already received it:
Trimethobenzamide, Cipro, Asacol.
She insisted on driving two hours and some minutes to get to her own doctor in Great Neck. We had been at a Pension Fund annual meeting at the Montauk Yacht Club and at 3:00 AM, after a clam, mussel, lobster dinner she began to vomit violently and have diarrhea this continued until about 5:00 AM when she fell asleep. I considered the hospital, but she was adamant about getting to Great Neck.
We drove past Southampton hospital and Stony Brook Hospital, but she wanted to see Dr. Schulman, her favorite. He has an in patient set up in his office and was able to re-hydrate her and do a sigmoidoscopy. (He was the fellow who did my colonoscopy and I must admit it was a pleasant, if unconscious, experience)
Schulman turned her over to me for recuperation, and I am doing my best.
mike
We left Montauk, bypassed two hospitals at the Madam's insistence, and arrived at Great Neck so that she could see her own doctors. As it turned out, a wise move. We are staying at a friend's apartment in Great Neck, which is vacant for the month of July. Unfortunately for us, they are selling it as of Aug 1.
I hope your diagnosis is correct. We will know more Monday.
We took the auto-train which saves a day of driving. The train leaves Sanford, Florida and arrives the next morning at Lorton, Va, near Baltimore, MD. We took a tiny compartment. Just like the old pullmans which I used to take to Raquette Lake, there are uppers and lowers. We flipped a coin and Maria took the upper and I got the lower which has a window. I like looking out the lights of the towns --or still better, the lights of lonely farm houses, sited on hills some distance from the tracks-- as we pass them. The bed is comfortable, firm, compact. the dining car is okay, of course, nothing like the service way back in the forties and fifties when there were line table clothes and heavy triplle plated flatware. Well, no more of that, and no white coated black porters either, ready to shine a shoe or fetch a drink. But we did sleep in a car named after A. Phillip Randolf, so I felt a pleasing connection with the past.
We left Lorton at about ten o'clock in the morning and flew to the Veranzanno Bridge in a few hours--but then hit a wall of traffic. It took three and half hours to get out to Montauk, so all we did was go to bed. the meetings of the Pension Fund started the next morning. we remain in the top decile of Taft-Hartley Plans.
Maria and her friends hiked to to the lighthouse, did some birdwatching and played tennis. After the first meeting i had a terrific massage. Dinner should have been skipped.
The second night's dinner was a lobster feast, you know all the lobster, clams, etc that you want. The lobsters were good for Montauk, but my memory of last summer at Maine kept my standards very high. bUT THEN, AT ABOUT 3:00 am MARIA COMMENCED TO VIOLENTLY VOMIT.
Correction in definition. An ischemia is a loss of blood flow. It might be to the heart: cardio-ischemia -- or to the brain, or a limb. The eyes too. And others. in the case of gastro-ischemia it is usually temporary but can be serious. Maria has been in a lot of pain. She is unable to eat, and is sleeping a lot. Even when Remi called she couldn't speak to her. Here is a list of her meds for those who have not already received it:
Trimethobenzamide, Cipro, Asacol.
She insisted on driving two hours and some minutes to get to her own doctor in Great Neck. We had been at a Pension Fund annual meeting at the Montauk Yacht Club and at 3:00 AM, after a clam, mussel, lobster dinner she began to vomit violently and have diarrhea this continued until about 5:00 AM when she fell asleep. I considered the hospital, but she was adamant about getting to Great Neck.
We drove past Southampton hospital and Stony Brook Hospital, but she wanted to see Dr. Schulman, her favorite. He has an in patient set up in his office and was able to re-hydrate her and do a sigmoidoscopy. (He was the fellow who did my colonoscopy and I must admit it was a pleasant, if unconscious, experience)
Schulman turned her over to me for recuperation, and I am doing my best.
mike
We left Montauk, bypassed two hospitals at the Madam's insistence, and arrived at Great Neck so that she could see her own doctors. As it turned out, a wise move. We are staying at a friend's apartment in Great Neck, which is vacant for the month of July. Unfortunately for us, they are selling it as of Aug 1.
I hope your diagnosis is correct. We will know more Monday.
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