2008 June | Living with MCL

Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past?

Jun 192008

Living in California, I can’t help but be amazed at the direction the debate over the US energy crisis is taking.

Hey America! WAKE UP!!! Have we learned nothing from the past? Is what occurred 8 years ago, completely forgotten now? Are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes again.

For me, the debate surrounding the reasons for high energy prices in the US, including blaming environmentalists for blocking off shore drilling, and drilling in environmentally sensitive areas, sounds all too reminiscent of the debate waged during the California energy crisis, of 2000 and 2001.

And what did we learn from that mess?

We learned the crisis had nothing to do with a lack of electrical generating capacity, as many tried to make us believe, but rather was a deliberate manipulation of the energy market, by speculators and energy producers, principally Enron and Reliant energy.

[NOTE: While there is no evidence to date, supporting the theory of market manipulation by the big oil companies or other speculators, as the reason for the huge spike in energy prices, that theory should not be discounted just yet.]

We also know it was the electrical generating companies that were instrumental in blocking the development of new power generating facilities, not the environmentalists.

It is true that no major power plants were built in California from 1986 to 1998. But this was the result of the investment decisions of California’s utilities and independent power generators, not environmental restrictions.

Environmentalists were actually promoting the development of new, more fuel efficient, natural gas fired plants.

If there is any blame to placed, it should be directed towards the citizens of the US, and our elected representatives in congress.

While the other major powers of the world were encouraging conservation, and greater use of alternative energy sources, the US has been doing exactly the opposite. As a result, Europe produces cars getting nearly twice the gas mileage of cars produced and sold in the US, and they have made significantly greater use of alternative energy sources, e.g. France produces 80% of its electricity from nuclear energy.

Instead of trying to place blame, where none exists, offering nothing more than politically expedient solutions, and doing the bidding of those who have a vested interest in our continued dependence on oil, we need to start adopting policies that will reduce our dependency on oil, by encouraging conservation, and the development of clean, environmentally friendly, alternative energy sources, i.e. wind, solar, electric and yes, even nuclear. That’s our only true path to energy independence.

Drilling for more oil in the US, won’t reduce prices. Any benefits that may result from drilling for more oil, won’t be derived for at least 5 years [and more like 10], and in the mean time, prices will continue to rise.

The fact remains, the world is running out of oil, and there are no quick and painless fixes. All the easy oil has been found, and with the costs for drilling and finding new fields increasing as fast as the price of oil, the only sound policy is one that will wean ourselves off our dependency on oil altogether.

Windfall profits taxes won’t do anything either to reduce our dependency on oil, except maybe to make matters worse, as it will likely increase prices further, and discourage investment in alternative energy sources. It’s not the oil companies, or the refiners that are benefiting from high energy prices, it’s mainly the Arab countries, along with Russia, Venezuela and a few others.

[NOTE: Has anyone ever considered this as an attack on America by terrorists? The terrorists don't have to hit us physically, they can destroy us through our pocketbooks?]

Elimination of the $0.184 federal gasoline tax (which incidentally I support, since I own a number of shares of Tesoro, which I’m currently in the hole on), will do even less, except to increase the profits of the oil refiners, who are currently losing money at these prices.

The last thing we need in the US are lower energy prices. What we really need are higher energy prices!

But if I still haven’t convinced you where the true blame lies, and what we should be doing to solve the problem, then fine, drill for more oil.

I have no objection to drilling for more oil off the gulf coast. I have no objection to drilling for more oil in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, or other midwest states. And I have no objection to the production of oil from the vast resources of shale deposits in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nevada.

Just don’t be drilling in my backyard.

The more I sit around the house doing nothing

Life, My MCL 2 Responses »

Jun 172008

The more I want to sit around the house, and do absolutely nothing. The more I think about my MCL. The more I worry about every little creak, lump, bump or other oddity I feel in my body, and worst of all, the sorrier I begin to feel for myself.

Monday is typically my rest day, but I usually do manage to get out of the house and do something, what ever it might be. I might go shopping, hit some golf balls at the range, or I might even go to the gym.

But yesterday I didn’t do any of that. I got up around 5 AM, posted to my blog, and after having a bowl of cereal, I plopped myself down in my lounge chair in front of the TV, watching the business channel, while I waited for the US Open play off to begin between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate.

I had every intention of going to hit some golf balls after the match, but by the time it ended, there was another show on TV I wanted to see, so I just kept watching.

By then of course it was too late to do anything. Edie would be home soon, and………

So I went and checked some of the emails from the message boards I belong to on the internet, further depressing myself, until Edie got home, after which I plopped myself right back down in front of the TV waiting for dinner.

It was a completely wasted day, and now this morning, all I want to do is more of the same.

I was planning on racing at Eldo this evening, so I wasn’t going to ride this morning, but I know if I don’t get out of this house soon, I may never want to get out of the house. So I’m definitely going for a bike ride this morning, and hopefully I still feel able enough to go racing at Eldo tonight as well.

Am I a wine snob?

Food & Wine, Off Topic 4 Responses »

Jun 162008

While I am by no means a recognized wine expert, in the ranks of Robert Parker, Alan Meadows, etc. I have always considered myself more of an authority than most, in discerning good wines from mediocre ones.

Now while there are a few who may disagree with that characterization, and even I will admit there is a lot of subjectiveness in wine tasting, and not everyone has the same palate, or likes and dislikes, distinguishing the difference between good wines and just down right nasty wines i.e. vinegary, sour, devoid of fruit etc. should be a simple task for anyone.

But it still amazes me, just how some people can drink a glass of wine, that has left such a foul taste in my mouth, I have to spit it out, and actually rave about how much they liked it. And yesterday was a perfect example.

At least once a year, one of our wine drinking friends in Santa Monica, who has more money than he knows what to do with, and obviously more wine than any one person [or even two] could drink in several lifetimes, has a party to clear out some of his older wines.

It is extremely generous of him and his wife, as they supply all the wine, and a main course to eat while we’re tasting. All we have to do is get to their house, which from Long Beach isn’t always as easy as it sounds, and bring a side dish to serve along with the rest of the food.

For me, these events are more about the party and the socializing than the wines, as the wines are usually not that good, but it is still interesting to see how different wines from different producers hold up over the years. And with those expectations in mind it was a great event.

For the day, our friend opened 43 bottles of wine, ranging in age from 8 to 25 years old. Don’t fret though, by no means did we finish them all. The vast majority were undrinkable. Overall, I would say 30 to 35 were undrinkable, and 6 to 8 (mostly rhone style wines from France) were decent, and drinkable along with some food.

But not everyone agreed with my assessment, raving about a few I couldn’t spit out fast enough. I even went back to try one or two again, just to be sure I wasn’t wrong in my original assessment, which I wasn’t.

I’m convinced people say they like some wines, because someone else they like claims it is good, or they are just enamored with old wines thinking they are supposed to like them. I’m not sure why, but……

Regardless, and remembering what I said earlier, wine tasting is very subjective, and we don’t all have the same palates or likes and dislikes, the party exceeded my expectations, and I enjoyed myself.

And at the end, our gracious hosts brought out a 1994 and a 1999 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages, which everyone agreed were both very good, and couple that with Tiger’s pressure putt on the 18th hole, at Torrey Pines, to send the US Open into a final round play off this morning, topped off a perfect day.

I’m such a dedicated employee

Life, Work 1 Response »

Jun 102008

So much so, I actually went to work this morning, despite the fact my co-workers told me I didn’t need to, and in addition to the fact I have to come in tomorrow for an expected, but forgotten about customer visit. I was thinking I would tie up some loose ends, and then be able to devote all my attentions to the customer tomorrow.

I didn’t plan on riding this morning (opting instead to race this evening), so I wouldn’t miss out on anything by going to work.

Of course, I should have listened to my co-workers, as there was barely enough work to keep me busy for 30 minutes, and not bothered making that commute. I could have easily waited until tomorrow, and completed everything while the customer was on a tour of the plant.

Fortunately traffic was unusually light, even though I left a half hour later than usual (5:30 AM instead of 5 AM), plus I managed to get a few necessary things accomplished, which I had been putting off for quite a while, and I was still able to leave around 9:45 AM to go home.

Anyways, as I was driving home, I was thinking how lucky I am to be employed where I am. There are very few other companies, and co-workers, that would treat any employee as well as I have been treated, since my diagnosis.

So in a bout of emotion, I thought I would take this opportunity to give a special thanks to Becky, Wayne, and even Bud, just to name 3.

Are we spending enough on cancer research?

Diagnosis No Responses »

Jun 082008

Browsing through the Mantle Cell Lymphoma message board today, something I still do on a mostly daily basis, I was directed to this article in Newsweek magazine, by Jonathan Alter, an award winning columnist, frequent TV analyst, and a Mantle Cell Lymphoma survivor.

In the article, Alter talks about the relationship between Ted Kennedy, and his bout with cancer, and that of Hamilton Jordan, who recently died of cancer, and the goings on in congress today.

It’s a short article and worth reading, but of particular note, was something Hamilton Jordan said to Jonathan Alter, that I think really puts the whole cancer funding, and health care issues in perspective.

…we [the United States] spend more in six months in Iraq ($54 billion) than we’ve spent in 30 years on the National Cancer Institute, which funds most cancer research. Today, only two in 10 grant proposals from qualified researchers are funded by the NCI, which means that plenty of possible cures die for lack of funding.

And then I think about the path John McCain, and the rest of the Republican party is envisioning for this country, and wonder, just where are our priorities?

Authors note: Read more about Jonathan Alter’s battle with Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

LAST SHORT UPDATE

Off Topic No Responses »

Jun 072008

I’ve decided to eliminate my short update column. I not sure anyone even knows they’re here, and besides, I seem to have lost interest in doing them.

Instead, I have decided to resurrect My [mostly] Daily Journal blog, where I will post things about whatever, or I don’t think appropriate to this blog.

If you’re interested there is a link to My Daily Journal above, or you can just click here

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A little about me

Hi, my name is Marc [that's my wife Edie beside me], and I have Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a typically aggressive form of lymphoma, except it so seems in my case.

I was diagnosed over 10 years ago, and have managed to survive since then without treatment, by following a few simple rules. Eat a [mostly] well balanced diet, exercise (cycling, at least up until recently), abstaining from taking supplements or any medications, drinking 5 to 6 cups of [Japanese] green tea a day, and most importantly [lots of good wine], flossing and brushing my teeth twice a day, everyday.

I started this blog mainly to chronicle my life, putting down in writing what goes through the mind of a cancer survivor (although I have been seen straying into unrelated areas on occasion), and along the way help educate others about lymphomas and other blood cancers, and filter out some of the hype and misinformation so often associated with the internet, which unfortunately there is plenty.

You can read a lot more about me by clicking here