tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post4196759559422820504..comments2024-03-10T09:24:45.565+02:00Comments on Dispatches from Vilnius: The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksJames Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-58588030300022875592010-07-31T02:08:44.628+03:002010-07-31T02:08:44.628+03:00From what I can tell, Rogers is now an east coaste...From what I can tell, Rogers is now an east coaster now: <br /><br />http://michaelrogers.com/<br /><br />Don't know where McChesney is, but I got the impression he was back in the Berkeley area from one of his radio reports -- but that was awhile ago. <br /><br />I didn't know you knew him _before_ California. But then a lot of my SF friends during that period were from Texas. We avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-7763293160211896202010-07-31T00:34:27.999+03:002010-07-31T00:34:27.999+03:00Diane, I swear I posted a reply to your question a...Diane, I swear I posted a reply to your question about Mike Rogers. McChesney and I were close friends before he came to California. I think I've seen him only once in 40 years. But I heard him on the radio yesterday or the day before. I remember when he was reporting from the wars in Chad; scary, scary, the real Year of Living Dangerously.<br /><br />I don't know Mike Rogers. ShouldCarolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818522346723485679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-72115474392430835822010-07-30T18:51:45.989+03:002010-07-30T18:51:45.989+03:00And in another small world connection, I once work...And in another small world connection, I once worked with Ananda Chakrabarty -- in Montana, believe it or not -- and had a great portrait of him taken holding a petri dish. I wonder if that dish, too, was contaminated with HeLa cells.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-31565436118703779452010-07-30T00:43:58.120+03:002010-07-30T00:43:58.120+03:00Well, after reading Brinkley, reading the phone bo...Well, after reading Brinkley, reading the phone book would be a relief. Somehow I managed to read every page -- dedicated or stupid as the case may be. <br /><br />But yes, as for Skloot, I'll probably finish reading the book tonight or tomorrow at the latest. Fascinating!<br /><br />Funny that the Rolling Stone story comes up when she goes to Baltimore. I vaguely remember that story at avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-27614805620791664162010-07-29T22:28:48.087+03:002010-07-29T22:28:48.087+03:00I can't say her writing style bothers me parti...I can't say her writing style bothers me particularly, especially after reading Brinkley. But, I like the subject very much.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-41300521080605405632010-07-29T22:04:10.201+03:002010-07-29T22:04:10.201+03:00This will make for a great discussion. I can'...This will make for a great discussion. I can't remember who said it, but it's something like if we all thought alike, there'd be no reason to think at all.....<br /><br />Look forward to it!avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-11005170668894473262010-07-29T20:58:56.816+03:002010-07-29T20:58:56.816+03:00Avrds, it's that style that has made reading t...Avrds, it's that style that has made reading the book such hard going for me. The melodramatic swooping, usually in undramatic places - just puts my teeth on edge. I'd love to read Atul Gawande or the equivalent on the ethical questions at the heart of the story.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818522346723485679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-70695006778681588582010-07-29T16:23:31.056+03:002010-07-29T16:23:31.056+03:00And I can be the contrarian of the group. The boo...And I can be the contrarian of the group. The book is compulsive reading -- I couldn't put it down last night and am almost halfway through already -- but I _hate_ her style. <br /><br />Should make for an interesting discussion.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-51259906883761183012010-07-29T07:26:49.590+03:002010-07-29T07:26:49.590+03:00Look forward to your comments as well, NYT. The d...Look forward to your comments as well, NYT. The discussion probably won't be in full swing until your return. Have a pleasant holiday : )James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-86174093655470948762010-07-29T05:11:22.998+03:002010-07-29T05:11:22.998+03:00Ever so glad you're liking it, Gintaras, esp. ...Ever so glad you're liking it, Gintaras, esp. since you put it up in here in the first place--virtue rewarded!<br /> <br />I'm very much looking forward (looking very much forward? very much forward looking?) to coming back here 8/7 or 8/8 to see what all y'all have to say.NYT Perduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799504399477460783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-46332007077855097122010-07-28T16:35:43.265+03:002010-07-28T16:35:43.265+03:00I still haven't received my book -- I think th...I still haven't received my book -- I think the Fed Ex trucks are on vacation -- but the university has a copy so I'll stop by today and see if I can check it out.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-79731039646375884412010-07-28T13:45:08.543+03:002010-07-28T13:45:08.543+03:00About 80 pages into the book and thoroughly enjoyi...About 80 pages into the book and thoroughly enjoying it. Reminds me a little of "Praying for Sheetrock." Will set up a new page Sunday, August 1, to begin discussion.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-7332044981304227122010-07-22T06:44:10.798+03:002010-07-22T06:44:10.798+03:00Got it that time--maybe I wasn't patient enoug...Got it that time--maybe I wasn't patient enough 1st time around. Thanks for getting me to try again and for bringing to light something I had no idea of.<br /><br />You may not want to dwell on the particulars, will investigate through the articles linked.NYT Perduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799504399477460783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-83129017379681108152010-07-22T06:35:36.913+03:002010-07-22T06:35:36.913+03:00I am surprised that you did not get the first link...I am surprised that you did not get the first link as I found it again immediately. You sure your PC can pick up PDF links?<br /><br />Above, I indicated "same complaints made by several women in PR". I wish to clarify that our family was acquainted with other families where pregnant women also made these past complaints. This in addition to thousands of others who reported the sameTripplerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16568801152695491482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-71195679509691114522010-07-22T06:31:39.667+03:002010-07-22T06:31:39.667+03:00Back in the late 60s and early 70s I was acquainte...Back in the late 60s and early 70s I was acquainted with several Puerto Rican activists in City College of New York and NYC Community College. They had documentation and made a couple of documentaries on the subject. Unfortunately, I do not recall any other specifics as this was close to 40 years ago. But it was incredible how the problems my mother reported were precisely the same complaints Tripplerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16568801152695491482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-41943739520433591762010-07-22T05:53:35.032+03:002010-07-22T05:53:35.032+03:00Whoa, trippler, that's incredible. What was th...Whoa, trippler, that's incredible. What was the nature of (or substance used in) the "deliberate poisoning" -- do you know? <br /><br />I've bookmarked the 2nd paper (nothing came up when I tried to bring up the 1st) and will definitely explore it when I can. <br /><br />(Quite a few moments in the Skloot book may give you pause. They did me even without such a connection. NYT Perduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799504399477460783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-72896954662189437502010-07-22T00:10:39.259+03:002010-07-22T00:10:39.259+03:00At last I got a copy of the book from my local lib...At last I got a copy of the book from my local library. It appears to be a quick read.<br /><br />I personally am no stranger to government experimentation as my mother was one of the 200,000+ women who were forcibly sterilized in the government's genocide campaign in Puerto Rico during that same era:<br /><br />http://www.u.arizona.edu/~lbriggs/PuertoRico/forced.pdf<br /><br />http://Tripplerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16568801152695491482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-4088178165181464572010-07-20T23:18:13.596+03:002010-07-20T23:18:13.596+03:00What a fine-sounding pairing!What a fine-sounding pairing!Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818522346723485679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-3285394789025777322010-07-20T06:09:51.035+03:002010-07-20T06:09:51.035+03:00Another of my real favorites. Her Infamous Angel ...Another of my real favorites. Her Infamous Angel is always in my car. If you want a real treat, get John Prine's CD of duets, including a couple with her. Can't remember what it's called but it has a black and white photo of a malt shop or something on the cover. Amazing music.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-588428737262536672010-07-20T05:47:08.302+03:002010-07-20T05:47:08.302+03:00Iris Dement is almost a genre unto herself. The f...Iris Dement is almost a genre unto herself. The first time I heard her, on Prairie Home Companion, I believe, I thought something had gone wrong with the tape delay, but I've learned to enjoy that melancholy nasal tone. Had the Light Crust Dough Boys wanted a girl singer for their noontime performance she could have done the job.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818522346723485679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-50470601096384080332010-07-20T05:14:12.962+03:002010-07-20T05:14:12.962+03:00Completely by coincidence, I got a CD of their mus...Completely by coincidence, I got a CD of their music for my birthday--can't help wondering what the woman who has the office next to mine thinks when I play it to animate the occasional drudgery. It can be almost too twangy at times--do you know and if so what think you of Iris Dement?NYT Perduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799504399477460783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-70831184867058426602010-07-09T23:02:46.734+03:002010-07-09T23:02:46.734+03:00I LOVE the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Classical mus...I LOVE the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Classical musicians meet jug band music. Perfect match.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdLRCSOZ7wo&a=8LHcI9w-yJAavrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-10479894042564618622010-07-08T04:59:36.069+03:002010-07-08T04:59:36.069+03:00Thanks much Carol, for the step sale schedule. I a...Thanks much Carol, for the step sale schedule. I am usually an avid purchaser at those when I happen across them but missed this time. True, the packrat tendencies of yours truly (who had children in 2 generations as well as corollary and honorary relatives in a complex extended-family web, spared not the books in any) and elementary school teacher husband have led to a garage already groaning NYT Perduhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799504399477460783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-32513113718298949792010-07-08T03:22:13.691+03:002010-07-08T03:22:13.691+03:00tempsperdu, I was volunteering at the step sale at...tempsperdu, I was volunteering at the step sale at the Main library this afternoon and straightening up the tables where children's books can be found. It made me happy to think of all the wonderful books you can start to acquire for that baby on the way. If you're lucky at the step sale, they're only $1, and come in several languages most Wednesdays. An advance welcome to the Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818522346723485679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-71240566621121583602010-07-07T21:56:53.553+03:002010-07-07T21:56:53.553+03:00Perhaps the Carolina Chocolate Drops could do the ...Perhaps the Carolina Chocolate Drops could do the music for your opera. They are a really delightful group.<br /><br />As for the book, so far I've found it disappointing, as if Skloot couldn't quite decide whether to write a diatribe or a true novel a la In Cold Blood or an actual nonfiction book. The subject matter is interesting, of course, although I'll have to admit my bias, Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818522346723485679noreply@blogger.com