Patterico's Pontifications

7/28/2008

Robert Novak Diagnosed with Brain Tumor

Filed under: Current Events — DRJ @ 2:08 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Columnist Robert Novak has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. I hope it’s benign, was caught early, and can be treated. This may explain his recent inability to grasp and recall the details of his car/pedestrian accident.

Newsbusters points out that the Huffington Post elected to close comments on this topic, which may become the norm when the subject is a conservative with a serious disease.

There probably aren’t more brain tumors statistically but I’ve noticed more cases. Ted Kennedy was recently diagnosed and I know several in my community (which may not be unusual since I’ll probably know more people with every disease as I get older). However, I also know more teens with brain tumors and that’s upsetting.

Although I was universally criticized the last time we discussed this, I still wonder if cell phones have anything to do with it. Since then, Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, the head of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute has expressed concern about cell phones and cancer based on early, unpublished data. But I agree the jury’s still out on this subject plus I think our genes play a significant role in determining which diseases we are more susceptible to.

That’s a lot of random thoughts for a Monday. My main thought is to send good wishes to Robert Novak and others who are currently dealing with illness.

— DRJ

91 Responses to “Robert Novak Diagnosed with Brain Tumor”

  1. Quite sorry to hear this. And…Not surprised HuffPo (and probably et al) is (are) closing comments. Prayers and best wishes for him and the family.

    no one you know (1f5ddb)

  2. Here’s hoping for the best, Mr. Novak… I hope it’s nothing that can’t be taken care of…

    Scott Jacobs (fa5e57)

  3. One of my favorite political reporters. I would reccommend his memoirs to anyone who has not read it. It is a picture into DC politics going back to 1960 that no one else could have written.

    WLS (26b1e5)

  4. Good Luck and God Bless Novak

    As far as Huffpost and newbusters article:

    A paragraph reads:
    Given Novak’s conservatism, as well as his involvement in the Valerie Plame affair, it seems a metaphysical certitude that HuffPosters would celebrate this announcement in a tremendously disgusting way.

    I would just like to say, sure of course you do have those idiots. One in a hundred is enough to disgustingly disgrace a sick man and I think Huffington post, who I hate for a dozen other reasons was just preventing the disgust.

    Newsbusters unjustly lumped all Liberals into one disgusting pile. Tells me a lot about they’re form of reporting.

    Oiram (983921)

  5. I watched a discussion between two scientists on the 10 – year cell phone study that’s coming out from Europe (that the doctor referred to in his memo), and this may be different from the earlier studies:

    http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,1&pl=New%20Video%202

    Dmac (416471)

  6. Oiram-
    “Their reporting” is over “there.”

    Newsbusters said nothing about liberals– they mentioned the Huffington post’s posters, only and specifically. They also complemented– abet in a backhanded manner– the folks in charge of HuffPo for their wisdom in not giving such disgusting posters a forum to spew their bile.

    Your automatic assumption that “HuffPosters” meant “all liberals do X” says a lot about your bias.

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  7. Good luck to him. He’s done a lot of hard work and has given us a lot of thoughtful opinions to bat about.

    m (b9d4c6)

  8. Mr. Novak – I was sorry to hear the news about your health; despite my feelings about your political stances and activities please let me assure you that I wish you a speedy and complete recovery.

    [Edited to eliminate useless blather. — DRJ]

    Best Wishes,
    / / skip
    Skip Mendler
    Honesdale PA

    smendler (e7a70f)

  9. Best wishes to Novak for a quick recovery. And Herberman acted very irresponsibly. I smell junk science (my emphasis):

    Herberman and Davis point to a massive ongoing research project known as Interphone, involving scientists in 13 nations, mostly in Europe. Results already published in peer-reviewed journals from this project aren’t so alarming, but Herberman is citing work not yet published.

    The published research focuses on more than 5,000 cases of brain tumors. The National Research Council in the U.S., which isn’t participating in the Interphone project, reported in January that the brain tumor research had “selection bias.” That means it relied on people with cancer to remember how often they used cell phones. It is not considered the most accurate research approach.

    Bradley J. Fikes (d5fd70)

  10. Or even “They’re reporting for their networks over there.”

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)

  11. Or even “They’re reporting for their networks over there.”

    Comment by Drumwaster — 7/28/2008 @ 3:24 pm

    “Your reporting on their networks over there shows you’re up-to-date on everything they’re doing.”

    “…You are holding on to something, Mr. Novak, some information that you know you should communicate, and holding on to it, frankly, is killing you. I think the best thing you could do for yourself (and for the country, incidentally) is tell everything that you know, while you still possess the ability. Get the guilt and pressure off your mind. Do the right thing. Do the healthy thing…”
    Comment by smendler — 7/28/2008 @ 3:21 pm

    This is certainly a bold assertion. May we see some evidence, please?

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  12. Yeah, #6 Foxfire. I do tend to be biased against sites that lead you to believe that all people of a certain political leaning are mean and disrespectful towards our sick.

    Call me crazy.

    I also do not like it when left leaning sites imply that all Republicans are racist or end of world religious nuts. I know they exist in all parties, but only a fraction do.

    Oiram (983921)

  13. May we see some evidence, please?

    “Ev’dence? We don’ need no steenkeeng ev’dence…”

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)

  14. Babbling about “toxins” is also a red flag for junk science.

    Bradley J. Fikes (d5fd70)

  15. The comment at 3:21pm is undignified at best. The thread would lose nothing, were it to disappear.

    AMac (c822c9)

  16. What a shame about Robert Novak. Thankfully it has been caught early.

    Re: HuffPo closing comments – I am beginning to believe that the vast majority of the left are raised without manners. I wonder if anyone has done a comprehensive study on this. Meh.

    Dana (1cc5ab)

  17. I do tend to be biased against sites that lead you to believe that all people of a certain political leaning are mean and disrespectful towards our sick.

    The problem is, Huffington has had posts about ill health of a prominent “opponent”, and had the commenters roll out “teh krazee” with amazing speed, and keep it there.

    Cheney health issues (not to mention that one bomb in Iraq) and Tony Snow’s past announcement that his cancer had come back post serve as examples that while maybe not all liberals are that disgusting, a VERY disturbing number of commenters at Huffington are.

    It has long been suspected that it is because of those instances that comments get turned off for such posts over at The Huff.

    I happen to agree, YMMV.

    Scott Jacobs (d3a6ec)

  18. #12 Oiram (side: does that sound like a line from a sci fi story to anyone else?)

    You’ve yet to show that anyone– let alone newsbusters– showed a bias against liberals, anyways.

    HuffPo has had to close comments before because some of their posters were unable to behave in a dignified manner.

    You’re the one who made the leap from “HuffPo posters” to “all liberals.”

    Personally, I think that if more folks took into account the internet F*wad theory, things might be a bit better….

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  19. Please don’t ask me to prove this Dana, because there are numerous blog sites and numerous times a million comments, but do you really believe that the left are the only ones raised without manners?

    I would re-think that if I were you. I have to know in my heart that it cuts both ways.

    Speedy recovery Novak.

    Oiram (983921)

  20. My God Foxfire, if you can’t see that Newsbusters is as biased against liberals as much as Huffpost is against conservatives…….. I suggest you open your eyes and re-visit both sites.

    Yikes

    Oiram (983921)

  21. I have to know in my heart that it cuts both ways.

    Translation: I have to feel that it cuts both ways, facts and evidence-be-damned.

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)

  22. Oiram, perhaps its just a minority of the left but with really big mouths and appalling manners that spout off the vile stuff so frequently it just seems like a majority? (see: Tony Snow death)

    Dana (1cc5ab)

  23. Oiram, we’re trying to explain that Newsbusters was only talking about Huffington in this case, and the past has shown that yes, Huffinton ommenters have a habit of being very, very horrible…

    Scott Jacobs (d3a6ec)

  24. No Dana, I’ve had the same feelings that you have only against conservatives, only to find out that I was dead wrong. It’s all in your perspective.
    I know for a fact there are bad liberals and bad conservatives as well as good.

    I may have said bad things politically against Novak in the past, but I never once doubted that he was doing it for the good of the country and the people.
    I know I’m not the lone liberal out there who thinks this way.
    It may seem that way, but I’m not.

    Oiram (983921)

  25. Scott, Huffington post is one of the more successful blog sites (unfortunately) and thus is more exposed to scrutiny.

    I just wanted to set the record straight on liberals.

    Oiram (983921)

  26. The name “Mario” written backwards sounds like sci-fi? Well, some of the things he writes definitely reads like sci-fi . . . or maybe it all just comes out backwards.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  27. Peace everyone.

    Oiram (983921)

  28. My God Foxfire, if you can’t see that Newsbusters is as biased against liberals as much as Huffpost is against conservatives…….. I suggest you open your eyes and re-visit both sites.

    I have no idea what your god may say, but that doesn’t change that you jumped from a quote– which you even provided in your original post!– that said “HuffPosters,” to “all Liberals.”

    Newsbusters even complemented the– notably liberal!– Huffington Post managers for closing the comments.

    In this case, the “lumping” is purely in your own mind.

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  29. Icy Truth-
    How about Munimula? (warning: really, really old cartoon reference)

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  30. Please don’t ask me to prove this Dana, because there are numerous blog sites and numerous times a million comments, but do you really believe that the left are the only ones raised without manners?
    I would re-think that if I were you. I have to know in my heart that it cuts both ways.
    Speedy recovery Novak.
    Comment by Oiram — 7/28/2008 @ 4:15 pm

    Nice to see the courtesy extended to Novak. That said, all due respect, knowing something “in your heart” and seeing something easily quantifiable re: manners, like, oh, say, number of curse words used on a site, are two two different things. “Don’t ask me to prove X” is, how do I put this, well….kind of like saying “just believe what I’m telling you without any evidence.”

    Would like to see more studies done on other variables re: manners. But IMO this is a start. And, in all the cases I’ve seen, when things like this are looked at, conservatives (who comment on blogs anyway) seem to come out ahead.

    This last observation isn’t scientific, but it’s my experience: I hear a lot more liberals talking far more often about how they have a right to express themselves in spite of how others may react, and a lot more conservatives talking far more often about how we have responsibilities to others (sick people and their families, the verbal innocence of children, etc.) with regard to how we think and speak. Just MO.

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  31. “Newsbusters unjustly lumped all Liberals into one disgusting pile.”

    Oiram – As has been pointed out, Newsbusters did not do as you suggest, that was all your projection. Out of curiousity, how many liberals does it take to make a disgusting pile?

    Tom Schaller over at Salon could start at the bottom for this needless bit of fluff added to his piece wishing Novak well:

    “I remember interviewing him briefly in 2004 in New Hampshire the day before that state’s primary, and noticing he had some drool running down the side of his face and that he seemed unaware of it. Perhaps Novak has not been in top shape for a few years now, though he never seemed to work (or, apparently, drive) any slower as a result.

    ― Thomas Schaller”

    daleyrocks (d9ec17)

  32. “I just wanted to set the record straight on liberals.”

    I needed a good laugh. Thanks for making my evening Oiram.

    daleyrocks (d9ec17)

  33. The lady with the great first name wrote:

    Re: HuffPo closing comments – I am beginning to believe that the vast majority of the left are raised without manners. I wonder if anyone has done a comprehensive study on this. Meh.

    Well, one of us looked at our wonderful and noble and charitable friends on the left, and was somewhat less than impressed with Think Progress. My absolute favorite is “JAF’s” comment:

    I can’t help it, this news brought a beaming smile to my face. I can’t prevaricate about it, I cannot feel sympathy for this vile creature.

    Would someone kindly tell me the difference between some of the Think Progress commenters and Fred Phelps?

    Dana R Pico (556f76)

  34. Heres one consservative with a little liberal bent. Classic! Atleast there wont be any temptation to post stupid, senseless comments about a brain tumor patient.
    Wishing him the best. Quick recovery.
    Although I was universally criticized the last time we discussed this, I still wonder if cell phones have anything to do with it. Since then,
    I agree with you there DRJ. There needs to be more awareness about the risk of using cell phones. It can cause brain tumor or cancer.
    Knowledge is power.

    love2008 (1b037c)

  35. Would someone kindly tell me the difference between some of the Think Progress commenters and Fred Phelps?

    Fred Phelps openly hates homosexuals, too.

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)

  36. Oiram, perhaps this is the difference: My feelings don’t come into play. They are not a measuring stick for recognizing foul comments. One can read the comments at Kos or HuffPo v. comments here or some other counterpart, and know for a fact that the difference in ugliness is undeniable. Feelings , being so subjective and in a state of flux, have little to do with seeing and measuring the obvious.

    And obviously you are the exception to the generally uncompassionate and even hateful tone and attitude of the left toward noted conservatives suffering illness, or even those who have died.

    Dana (1cc5ab)

  37. Though he was often referred to as “The Prince of Darkness”, Bob Novak has a unique ability to shine a bright light into some of the more obscure areas of govenment.

    Get well Bob!

    And, let’s not forget (in our partisan zeal), he is a registered Democrat!

    Another Drew (8018ee)

  38. #38 more…
    Third word should be “is”.

    Sorry!

    Another Drew (8018ee)

  39. Well, this didn’t take long. LAT has blogged about Novak…bring on the love…no profanity, so its okay!

    “Let’s not forget that in his long lists of dubious achievenments, treason should not be discounted or taken lightly. He’s a self-serving, entitled, hack who’s never cared about anything that didn’t benefit himself or further his own agenda, no matter at what cost to others…..

    May God have mercy on his soul (or that which is left of it).”

    Posted by: remember treason?!?!?! | July 28, 2008 at 02:07 PM

    “Get well soon, Bob. We can’t put a traitor like yourself in prison if your dead.”

    Posted by: captainkona | July 28, 2008 at 12:41 PM

    Dana (1cc5ab)

  40. “Would someone kindly tell me the difference between some of the Think Progress commenters and Fred Phelps?”

    Dana – Fred Phelps also claims to be a Christian.

    daleyrocks (d9ec17)

  41. Prayers to him and his family.

    Out of curiousity, how many liberals does it take to make a disgusting pile?
    Comment by daleyrocks — 7/28/2008 @ 4:36 pm

    Umm… two? 😉

    Stashiu3 (460dc1)

  42. The difference between Phelps and the ThinkFrog commentators? Very little. The Venn diagrams overlap, a lot.

    JD (5f0e11)

  43. #30 – Foxfier

    How about Munimula? (warning: really, really old cartoon reference)

    — Point taken; and you can go far past that 50-year-old cartoon, all the way to “Erewhon” [“nowhere” backwards, except for the “h” & “w” being (maybe intentionally) transposed], the novel by Samuel Butler from 1872.

    My point is that “O-I-Ram” sounds less like science fiction and more like an admission of abnormal bedroom activities.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  44. I too will include Bob Novak in my evening prayer list.

    If memory serves me, didn’t Patterico mention that he was going to have a discussion of Novak’s book Prince of Darkness?

    Or did I miss it?

    I remember that I’d just finished reading it and I was interested in hearing other peoples impressions.

    A note on on-line comments. Earlier in the day I was checking out the Detroit Free Press, (I’m watching the slow political train wreck going on up there), and I decided to check out the comments on the the Novak story. I quit after the first 10. In a word, most of them were vile.

    Buckshot (ac5d83)

  45. #32 – daleyrocks

    Out of curiousity, how many liberals does it take to make a disgusting pile?

    — If the liberal is named Pelosi, Reid, Edwards, Dean, Murtha, Rangel, et al . . . then it only takes one of them talking to spew a disgusting pile.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  46. Icy Truth –
    I wouldn’t know; the entire list of unusual bedroom activities I have involve kittens deciding to be alarm clocks set for 4AM, and the inhuman restraint required not to kill them….

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  47. DRJ, when I read your ideas and presentation of facts, your grace and intellect makes me wish you were running for Office. Your communication skills are superior to what we read from either candidate’s press room. Just think, you even have oodles more experience than Obama. We’re lucky you’re here!

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  48. kitten+burlap+lake=peace&quiet

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  49. Keep the kitten, open the burlap and place your mother-in-law inside. *

    * her pictures, of course

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  50. Never mind those damned liberals.
    What say we damn those archives, including Patterico’s?
    Here’s a smattering of examples of the wonderful sensitivity, civility and manners from the right, straight from the Patterico Peanut Gallery back when that horrific libruhl Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Gosh, how bad are libruhls that Huffington decided to close comments. It seems Patterico just talked about doing so, and then let the bile continue to flow — and stay there in perpetuity for this l’il ‘ole Google search.
    Y’all can talk about being big, but you are as s-m-a-l-l as those you designate as your inferiors:

    1. I think the psychology as to why many conservatives will show up on these conservative blog boards to offer sympathy for someone like Ted Kennedy is kind of interesting.
    I don’t remember this display of sympathy when Saddam Hussein was handed his death sentence. If OJ Simpson gets diagnosed with a brain tumor, will all of these same conservatives be making a big show of sympathy? Seems they’ll have to to be consistant. Meanwhile, I suspect they’ll have no interest in showing up in a thread about some dying conservative politician who has been a good citizen his entire life. There is no payoff for that.
    The payoff is the feeling that liberals will think you are magnanimous. It’s the same reason that conservative politicians start acting like liberals. They want the leftists to love them for some strange reason.
    Comment by j curtis — 5/20/2008 @ 12:41 pm

    1. I mean no ill towards the Senator; but, that doesn’t mean that I look forward to his recovery, and continued service in the Senate. His personal, and official, acts have created uncounted pain and suffering for people who, for the most part, he never met or even thinks about.
    If he recovers, and returns to the Senate, he will continue abusing his position of trust, and we will not be the better for it.
    If he cannot continue, the people of Massachussets will have an opportunity that they refused to avail themselves of for too many years. We can only hope that they do better with it this time.
    Comment by Another Drew — 5/20/2008 @ 12:59 pm

    2. Too bad freerepublic moderates their forum
    3. Comment by stef — 5/20/2008 @ 1:04 pm

    1. I do send my prayers and thoughts to the Senator and his family at this time of crisis….God’s will should be done, as always…
    I do also know that the Day of Reconning with that same God is coming for him….
    May God have Mercy on his soul….
    Comment by reff — 5/20/2008 @ 1:05 pm

    1. Next time I’ll trust my instincts and leave the comments closed.
    Comment by Patterico — 5/20/2008 @ 1:18 pm

    Well, they continued. And they’re still there. Somebody’s trusted end stinks, indeed.

    Now, have at this troll, dwarves.

    Larry Reilly (d11f9a)

  51. Vermont Neighbor,

    That was totally unexpected and undeserved but thank you.

    DRJ (de3993)

  52. Troll indeed. Ignore him.

    Stashiu3 (460dc1)

  53. I meant ignore Larry of course, not Vermont Neighbor who is absolutely correct. DRJ would get my vote in a heartbeat.

    Stashiu3 (460dc1)

  54. Icy Truth –
    At 4AM, it’s tempting.

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  55. Larry Reilly has dropped its piles around here before.

    JD (5f0e11)

  56. Larry, I don’t know who Bob Novak killed, but I wasn’t happy with the comments on the Ted Kennedy thread. And I have never, ever said that nobody on the right engages in that sort of nastiness.

    I tried to discourage it. But I also have a day job and can’t monitor all comments.

    Btw, the various Master Shakes and Milkshakes are all banned, permanently, for trying to get around the spam filter. Every time I see a new comment from that person, I will delete it and go back and delete 1-5 of the old ones. Eventually you’ll never know he was ever here.

    Patterico (cc3b34)

  57. – If the liberal is named Pelosi, Reid, Edwards, Dean, Murtha, Rangel, et al . . . then it only takes one of them talking to spew a disgusting pile.

    Comment by Icy Truth — 7/28/2008 @ 6:07 pm

    LOL 🙂

    Troll indeed. Ignore him.

    Comment by Stashiu3 — 7/28/2008 @ 6:51 pm

    Indeed.

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  58. Btw, the various Master Shakes and Milkshakes are all banned, permanently, for trying to get around the spam filter. Every time I see a new comment from that person, I will delete it and go back and delete 1-5 of the old ones. Eventually you’ll never know he was ever here.

    Comment by Patterico — 7/28/2008 @ 7:10 pm

    awe
    some
    that guy (?) gave me a stomachache 😛

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  59. good luck to mr. novak. seconding the cell phone concern. i only use mine for road emergencies and volunteering for grocery/liquor shopping when i roll into a friend’s town.

    there’s a hella lot of money standing behind the proposition that cell phones are 100% safe to use, and the people who question this are chicken little luddites. like cell phones, sufficiently large concentrations of capital also emit potentially hazardous radiation.

    assistant devil's advocate (6c9732)

  60. Btw, the various Master Shakes and Milkshakes are all banned, permanently, for trying to get around the spam filter.

    Some people never learn.

    Meh.

    Paul (2ae585)

  61. DRJ, when I read your ideas and presentation of facts, your grace and intellect makes me wish you were running for Office. Your communication skills are superior to what we read from either candidate’s press room. Just think, you even have oodles more experience than Obama. We’re lucky you’re here!

    100% agreement.

    Paul (2ae585)

  62. So…when do we start the Official DRJ Fan Club?

    Foxfier (15ac79)

  63. So…when do we start the Official DRJ Fan Club?

    When she starts writing football posts again.

    Paul (2ae585)

  64. Keep the kitten, open the burlap and place your mother-in-law inside. *
    * her pictures, of course

    — Now the fact that my m-i-l happens to be the poster girl for the warning against getting into business with relatives shouldn’t lead you to think that I would ever . . .

    Well, the pictures maybe.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  65. You missed the memo? We started it months ago…

    Scott Jacobs (d3a6ec)

  66. #55 – Foxfier

    At 4AM, it’s tempting.

    — I work from 10AM to 8PM. Every morning at 6AM my dog wakes me to go outside and chase the tennis ball around; which requires me getting up, getting dressed, and going outside to throw the ball. That’s fine but if it was 4AM there’d be trouble.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  67. no one you know –

    Thanks for the LOL, but I have to disagree with you on Master Shakes getting banned. People like him (and Levi and jharp and Oiram and Peter and even BigIslandDave) are fun to have around; sparring with them is like whacking a pinata that never breaks.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  68. My get-well prayers and best wishes for Mr. Novak, too.

    I know two, no three, people in “real life”, shared pizza, coffee, … with brain tumors. All within the last twenty years. Maybe there is something to it, but it might be something other than cell phones.

    htom (412a17)

  69. no one you know —

    — Thanks for the LOL, but I disagree with you on the banning. Sparring with the Levi’s of this world is like whacking a pinata that never breaks: frustrating and yet fun at the same time.

    Icy Truth (f0c2e6)

  70. like whacking a pinata that never breaks

    Okay, who else had that scene from “Parenthood” cross their mind?

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)

  71. Paul,

    I started to write one about Brett Favre but I don’t like negative posts and I’m not sure I could find something positive about his attempt to keep playing. I’m happy for him to do what he wants but I fear he will just get hurt.

    Meanwhile, I’m pleasantly anticipating college football season and many posts on that subject. Of course, there was a story about the Nebraska fan who lives in Austin and works at the University of Texas who put up posts claiming two OU quarterbacks had a criminal record. He used a mock-up of a real Oklahoma newspaper to post his fictional story and now he’s been sued by half of Oklahoma. But I decided not to do that one either.

    However, everyone feel free to give me tips on good college football stories. Right now it’s my favorite sport.

    DRJ (de3993)

  72. Speaking of football, and thinking about Midland/Odessa, do they still paint the pawprints on Andrews Hwy out by the airport?

    Drumwaster (5ccf59)

  73. The current fad is streamers on every fence, pole, stoplight, and stop sign … but only in football season. Of course, football season is at least 10 months long in West Texas.

    DRJ (de3993)

  74. Okay, who else had that scene from “Parenthood” cross their mind?

    Comment by Drumwaster — 7/28/2008 @ 8:22 pm

    hahahaha That movie is so full of win I dunno where to begin. How about here: “*gunshots from clock tower* You made me play second base!

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  75. no one you know —

    – Thanks for the LOL, but I disagree with you on the banning. Sparring with the Levi’s of this world is like whacking a pinata that never breaks: frustrating and yet fun at the same time.
    Comment by Icy Truth — 7/28/2008 @ 8:13 pm

    Icy Truth, methinks that’s because you’re good at sparring w/ them.

    no one you know (1ebbb1)

  76. Oh, DRJ. How awesome can one person be? I LIVE for CFB (Go Irish!). I can’t wait to read your thoughts about any darn thing related to CFB. Yay!

    Is it true that the Aggies of A&M have never actually lost a game?

    Ed (59b337)

  77. Aggies are outstanding in their field, Ed.

    DRJ (de3993)

  78. #65 Icy,

    Now the fact that my m-i-l happens to be the poster girl for the warning against getting into business with relatives

    I bet you have stories. Ugh, huh. All life’s lessons… all lessons…

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  79. I’ve already said too much . . . so I’ll let the late great Ernie K-Doe say it for me:

    (Mother in Law) Mother In Law
    (Mother in Law) Mother In Law

    The worst person I know
    (Mother-in law, mother-in law)
    (Mother-in law, mother-in law)
    A she worries me, so
    If she’d leave us alone
    A we would have a happy home
    Sent from down below

    Mother in Law Mother in Law

    Satan should be her name
    To me they’re bout the same
    Every time I open my mouth
    She steps in, tries to put me out
    How could she stoop so low

    [Instrumental Interlude]

    I come home with my pay
    She asks me what I made
    She thinks her advice is the constitution
    But if she would leave that would be the solution
    And don’t come back no more

    Mother in law
    My……mother in law, ah
    Oh yeah

    Icy Truth (5fbda0)

  80. Icy, Ernie Kovacs speaks for you… and that ain’t bad!

    Many of his lines don’t apply to the situation I had. Anyone have a society hag – a Beverly Hills matron – for extended family? The cunning and lack of warmth (toward her son) were exceptional. And in a good sense, a lesson too. A real lesson. Do I write thoughtfully like Peggy Noonan?

    There. We all say too much.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  81. We stray further and further off-topic but . . . Ernie Kovacs — a true comedic genius.

    Icy Truth (5fbda0)

  82. Icy Truth…You made this New Orleanian shiver with the words to one of our own…

    Ernie K-Doe still has a bar in the Claiborne Section…near 1-10…called the “Mother-in-Law Lounge”…his widow runs it…

    Been there…

    reff (b68a4f)

  83. Well when you get into the 80s around here, anything can and usually does happen!

    Yes, EK was considered the most, the best… too much good for even his own time… part of a subset of brilliant comics. No one today fills their shoes.

    Vermont Neighbor (31ccb6)

  84. Thnx, reff. I live near I-10 . . . in Arizona. Been through the crescent city once, thirty years ago on a family vacation; it was August and the humidity was the thickest I’ve ever experienced.

    Icy Truth (5fbda0)

  85. VN, eye-no-u-no E. K-Doe & E. Kovacs 2 diff peepole. Is kool.

    Icy Truth (5fbda0)

  86. Looking back it seems that I’m the main culprit in driving this thread off-topic. It must be the microwaves warping me brain chemistry.

    Godspeed, Mr. Novak.

    Icy Truth (5fbda0)

  87. I’ve heard alcohol may contribute to head and neck tumors. And as a journo, I know that all of us in the field have our fondnesses…

    Best wishes to Novak. Never been a fan, but no-one deserves a head tumor, and I wish we could cure them all.

    LYT (b67340)

  88. 41, Daleyrocks, many Liberals claim to be Christians as they wish death and ill will upon Conservatives.

    PCD (5c49b0)

  89. good luck to mr. novak. seconding the cell phone concern.

    That is very much an open question, and it is by no means certain that cell phones “cause” anything. But a headset is a cheap investment that will mitigate whatever risk there might be.

    Thing is, if cell phones cause brain tumors, the last decade should have seen an enormous increase in them as cell phone use has exploded worldwide. It hasn’t happened.

    Pablo (99243e)


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