Clean, Safe, Accessible

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gresham Barrett delivered the following speech on the House floor today to support the use of nuclear energy as an alternate energy source.

“In the past few weeks, the focus of the energy crisis conversation has been about lifting the offshore ban on drilling to increase oil and gas supply in the U.S., and, offshore drilling is one solution that can help ease our energy crisis and lower gas prices at the pump.

”There has also been talk about using alternative energy sources to solve our energy problem for the long-term.

“The Department of Energy found that the 103 nuclear units in the U.S. supply about 20 percent of the electricity produced in the United States.

“In my state of South Carolina, 52 percent of our state’s power comes from nuclear power plants.

“For years, I have regularly worked with organizations and companies within South Carolina to promote the benefits of nuclear power.

“Nuclear energy is clean, safe, and it’s accessible to us in our country.

“Nuclear energy is an alternative energy source that our country can use to create long-term energy solutions for generations to come.

“It is a real solution that if we invest in now, will bridge us from short-term solutions to long-term ones,” said Congressman Gresham Barrett.

Cheering Germans

On the way to the doc today, I was listening to NPR breathlessly tell me that "if Germans could vote in the U.S. election, 75% would vote for Obama..." To which I thought..."who cares?"

I mean, seriously, who cares what the Germans think about one of our candidates? Do you? This gives a peek into the mindset of these journalists that probably actually think that German opinion would sway an American voter. I don't even think it would sway my good Hessian friends' opinion...Just another puff piece paid for by my tax dollars...

Oh, and what is this "citizen of the world" crap? I don't want a citizen of the world to be my President...I want to know that he's on my side, not the Germans or anyone else's. I want a President who understands the importance and natural right a nation has to unapologetically utilize power...and someone who has to preempt his comments by assuring foreigners that they are fellow citizens strikes me as pandering, at best, but telling about his view of national sovereignty. I guess this might fall in line with his professorial restructuring of the definition of patriotism.

"no challenge too great for a world that stands as one" - Here he was referring to the conquering of the Soviet Union. Hmmm...they weren't part of the world? He speaks as if victory was some sort of foregone conclusion, that Reagan and Gorby were hanging out at Reykjavik smoking pot and dreaming big dreams about world unity.

There's a lot more to this speech...mostly platitudes...feel-good stuff...easy to say but hard to do (he's going to stop global warming by partnering with the EU).

He really does strike me as an eloquent toddler sitting behind the driver's seat...his head full of big dreams and fantasizing about racing in the Indy 500...bargaining for the keys to the car...and the "responsible" adults seem inclined to hand them over.

McCain/Roosevelt -- could be worse...

McCain citing Teddy Roosevelt as his conservative model makes sense to me. I think it only bodes well for his candidacy to have taken such a stance.

RIP Tony Snow

With charm, wit and a relentless goodwill toward all, Tony Snow was always fun to watch and one you could have confidence in. Saddened by his death, we remember what it truly means to suffer and he provides a great example of how to do so with class.

Read the AP if you want to read an article that shows what Tony dealt with on a regular basis. This article has no class, getting its digs in during the most grievous of times.

FoxNews, as always, is much better, though they used some quotes from the AP.

Here is a good overview with Brit Hume.

A skeptical look at Barack?

Well, not entirely skeptical, but it is quite a feat for the mainstream press to do a story that is anything but fawning... HT: Powerline

Vision Loss Redux Part XV - Diagnosis

Quick Summary: Pressures are down in my eye, I have Susac's.

Soup to Nuts (just heard this cliche for the first time, and have been waiting to use it):

Concerning the pressures in my right eye, they were down to 8. I don't know what accounts for these wild fluctuations and Wiz #1 doesn't seem to know either...probably the pred.

My visit to DC was sort of as expected and hoped for...

Wiz #2, who looks a lot like a good friend of mine from years past, sat down with us and distilled a lot of experience and work into a 5 minute briefing.

They didn't find anything in my MRI or other studies that I had done. He said that he had a whole room of doctors looking at the recordings of my innards because they heard I was a possible Susac patient.

The MRI showed some possibility of something, but it was a "might be, might not be" sort of thing. However, Susac's has been diagnosed without the encephalopic episodes that one hears about.

So, I am indeed one in 20 million, or at least will be treated as if I am.

I will undergo a series of IVIG treatments that may or may not work. The goal is to stabilize me so that, according to the doctor, I can get on with my life.

Thankfully, the doctor I see here was one of his students and I have confidence in her. So, I will be undergoing treatments much closer to home in Allentown.

After 3 years, it's good to at least have a plan of attack.

Successful People Do Hard Things

Capt. Ivan Castro is one of them.

When Capt. Ivan Castro joined the Army, he set goals: to jump out of planes, kick in doors and lead soldiers into combat. He achieved them all. Then the mortar round landed five feet away, blasting away his sight.

"Once you're blind, you have to set new goals," Castro said.

He set them higher.

An inspiring story of a man who won't quit...what's your excuse?

Vision Loss Redux Part XIV - Fateful Week

Visited Wizard #1 on Friday...nothing exciting to report except there are two additional spots in my right eye and the pressure in that eye is double what it ought to be. However, after the flourascein test, there is no activity, so I reduced the pred from 60 p/day to 40 p/day...which makes me edgy and not a lot of fun to live with...though my wife would never say that I'm sure!

SO, back tomorrow to check the pressures. If they remain above 30, then I will have to go to Philly to a glaucoma specialist for possible laser treatment. I didn't know this previously, but the definition of glaucoma is having pressures in your eye above 20. High pressure damages the optic nerve, and without treatment, blindness ensues. My pressures have been playing in the 30s and were over 40 on Friday. He sees some damage, but is confident that if we can get this under control, because I am young, it will heal with not problem.

All this because of that darn cortizone shot!

On Wednesday, we head back to Wiz #2 at Georgetown U. Hospital to get the verdict on whether on not he believes I have Susac's Syndrome. I haven't heard anything from him, so I anticipate an interesting visit. It seems to me that some major treatment decisions will need to be made soon.

RIP Tim Russert

One of the few very respectable journalists who truly pursued truth in politics. Watch the video below for an inspiring tribute to his life.

Who is the largest single producer of nuclear energy in the world?

Improbably enough, that would be . . . the United States. Even though the development of new nuclear plants stalled by the early 1980s, the country’s 104 reactors today produce nearly 20 percent of the electricity the nation consumes. This share has actually grown over the years along with our consumption, since nuclear technology has become more efficient. While the fixed costs of a new nuclear plant are higher than those of a coal or natural-gas plant, the energy is cheaper to create: Exelon, the largest nuclear company in the United States, claims to produce electricity at 1.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, compared with 2.2 cents for coal.

We have much untapped potential in this area and people are starting to wake up from their Fonda-induced stupor. Even if it's being induced by a Gore-induced stupor...I'll take it.

Vision Loss Redux Part XIII - Susac's or Not?

Visit to Dr. Brown (Wizard #1) on Monday

The vision loss mentioned in my last post was actually not vision loss at all, but happily was merely a pool of blood in my eye. So, nothing substantial has changed with my vision.

Visit to Dr. Cupps (Wizard #2) on Wednesday
Traveling to DC in record time -- (made it from Leesport to the Capital Beltway in 2.5 hours) we wended our way down Connecticut Ave to Georgetown U hospital to see the newest wizard. Using the superb navigation skills of my wife, we cruised right into the proper parking area, right next to the proper building, went up the proper elevator to the proper floor and immediately into the proper office.

Got to hear DC slang--if you've not heard it you don't know how to say it--but the secretary said about a particular desk utensil, "I heard that joint rattling in there." I haven't heard the proper slang pronunciation or usage of "joint" for 3 years!

Anyway, a nice woman input all my medical information, which took awhile...

"What medicines are you taking?"
"How much time do you have?"
"This is a new computer system...so bear with me..."
"I'm on 80 mg of prednisone"
"...ok...click here...and, no, wait...oh, I have to go back...now...ok, here it is...so, ok...you're on what now?"
"prednisone"
"ok...pred...ah! there it is...now, how much?
"80 mg"

...and so it went for all 6 of my meds. But she was very nice and told me that her kids had attended Clinton Christian (a neighbor school to my former school) before moving to Springfield.

Then I met Dr. Cupps and was immediately place in a slightly warm room with a med student...a very nice med student, but a med student nonetheless. So, we went over my long and sordid medical history, reviewing my progressive deficiencies starting with almost exactly three years ago...the day I packed up the U-Haul to move to PA, my ears started buzzing.

I had brought all of my records to give to the wizard for his inspection. After a thorough examination, the wizard entered and we had a good conversation about a lot of things. I appreciate when a new wizard asks me questions I haven't been asked before...like, did you ever go to the chiropractor or have a neck injury? Funny I was never asked that when it was assumed I had coratid dissections.

He did indicate I have an abnormality on my latest MRI, so he's going to sit down with experts and go over all my tests.

Also, he has treated 2 Susac's patients in the past and has had success with them.

I go back in about 3.5 weeks, and if it is determined that I do indeed have Susac's Syndrome, he would like to me start Intravenous Immunoglobin to try to stabilize me. It is said that Susac's lasts for 3-5 years, then typically goes away. Well, I'm at three and it's still going strong!

Memorial Day

In my local newspaper, Jim Kerr actually came up with a decent column for Memorial Day.

...When I stop to think about it, my indifference seems to reflect the way many people in this country have grown to view the war in Iraq.

Unless we have a loved one directly involved, the war has become sort of an annoyance, a source of strife that we hear about every day, just like high gas prices and the poor economy.

Many of us would rather just relegate it to the back of our minds or forget about it altogether.

But regardless of personal feelings about the war, as Americans, we can’t forget or neglect the brave men and women faithfully serving and sacrificing for this nation. We owe them a debt of gratitude and a measure of honor and respect...

...So, on Memorial Day, join me in acknowledging the names of some recent war casualties as released by the Department of Defense. I don’t have space here to list all the names from even one month, but here is a representative list of deaths from a randomly selected workweek – April 21-25:

• Spec. Lance O. Eakes, 25, Apex, N.C.

Close this List

Top 10 Articles of the Day

1. Coroner: Next of kin sought for Reading man 2. Sinking Spring man hurt when motorcycle hits car 3. Driver in Marion crash is still ‘critical’ 4. Muhlenberg ponders plans for farmhouse 5. Berks groups who place markers on graves of war veterans need more volunteers 6. Visitors take a walk into Boyertown history (WITH VIDEO) 7. Kutztown High School board facing big task 8. Baseball/football college bound 9. More Berks County residents are looking to create historic gardens 10. Tigers rewrite history with district 3 trifecta

• Spec. Benjamin K. Brosh, 22, Colorado Springs, Colo.

• Spec. Steven J. Christofferson, 20, Cudahy, Wis.

• Sgt. Adam J. Kohlhaas, 26, Perryville, Mo.

• 1st Lt. Matthew R. Vandergrift, 28, Littleton, Colo.

• Lance Cpl. Jordan C. Haerter, 19, Sag Harbor, N.Y.

• Cpl. Jonathan T. Yale, 21, Burkeville, Va.

• Staff Sgt. Ronald C. Blystone, 34, Springfield, Mo.

• Staff Sgt. Shaun J. Whitehead, 24, Commerce, Ga.

Each of these names and many more like them represents a community in mourning. For each one, there’s a tearful widow or grieving mother seated in a cemetery and accepting a neatly folded American flag graciously presented by a sharply dressed military officer.

As a nation, we need to remember that, especially on Memorial Day.

So, before you fire up the grill or head off to the swimming pool today, take a moment to hang a flag from the front porch and pay tribute to the Americans who have died and are still dying in service to this nation.

They deserve that much. (emphasis mine)

On this day, remember those who selflessly do their duty for our benefit.

Vision Loss Redux Part XII

After a hiatus, my left eye has decided to get back into the act. I noticed tonight that my left eye has displayed a shadow...so it's back to 80 mg of pred for me for now. I've noticed a lot of shadows in my right eye...

God only knows what's causing this, and it's been difficult to keep my mind straight about this with my mind toggling between refusing to acknowledge this and wanting to learn braille.

God is good...all the time.

Pray for our Chinese Brothers

Pray for the many souls in Mianyang and the Sichuan Province, and give to help the physical needs.

Amazing Tornado Footage

Tornado footage from the sky...quite impressive