Update January 17 2010

I watched a remarkable documentary on PBS exploring how the Beatles helped to bring down the Soviet Union. The extent to which kids in the USSR went to listen to the Beatles, and to Rock in general, is amazing and touching. Music is perhaps the single most powerful communication humans have, and the way it influences is astonishing. I know for me music is as vital as breathing. We take access to music for granted, but it wasn't always so...

I have also been watching the devastation in Haiti. It is so heartbreaking I can't watch anymore; I have to change the channel. There are many ways to donate; please give something, even old clothes, if you can. Also it's a good reminder to take a look round your home and see if you are prepared for a quake (if you live in So Cal or other earthquake prone climes). This concludes today's Public Service Announcements; we now return to regularly scheduled programing...

In personal news, I feel good in general. Still more tired then I'd like to be. I'm in the process of having a lot of blood tests and such to see how my body is reacting to the treatment I had in November. So far, so good. Everything is apparently as it should be. If anything changes I'll let you know.