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Well , going through scanxiety again or to be correct biopxiety !!! Beware long post .... LOL
I was concerned about some marks on my back , so rang my oncologist , who has always said the rads have an entrance and exit point ie.on your back . Unfortunately only saw his registrar , who said he thought it was nothing to worry about .
A couple of weeks later on the 27th July , I had my annual check up with my breast surgeon , so mentioned it again ....he said he thought it it was nothing to worry about either , but would do a punch biopsy to put my mind at rest and draw a line under it .
After a couple of mix ups over clinic appointments , turned up , but no results !! I saw him last week 24th August and he explained that the results said it was not sarcoma related , but they were not happy about them, so were passing them on to Dermatology and will see me again in 4 weeks after they come back and they have another MDT meeting .
So another 4 weeks of anxious waiting to find out what they might be ..... just needed to get this off my chest ...what is left of it . LOL .
Hope everyone else is coping well with treaments etc.
Jill xxx
Hi Lyndsey ,
So sorry to take such a time to reply , I don't visit the boards as often as I used to . I really hope the biopsy came back clear and your pregnancy is progressing well .
My bruising certainly got worse with time and progressed to very red /purple lumps and lesions ..... I don't know if everyone presents with the same symptoms . When it metasticised to my right breast , I just had a painful lump and NO bruising .
Really hope things have turned out well for you , please let me know how you are doing .
Love and hugs ,
Jill xxx
Hi Skye ,
So sorry to take so long to reply , but I haven't visited this site for a while !
I am really sorry to hear of your mum's diagnosis , her symptoms sound similar to mine . It all started with a bruise , which did not heal and turned to purple lumps and spots.
Luckily my breast surgeon was on the ball and asked for a skin punch biopsy which confirmed the AS !!
Things will have moved on for your mum by now , so hope she is coping with her treatment and the CT scan showed no mets .
Do keep
in touch and let me know how things are .
Jill xx
Hi Jill,
Thank you for posting your story. My mother has recently been diganosed with a high grade angiosarcoma in the breast. She was diganosed with breast cancer in 2005 and had chemo and readiotherpy, after several biposy's, monograms, it was only until she has deep biopsy's that they have now said it's a rare form of cancer.
She first started noticing a bruse on the surface of the breast and developed into a red, purple rash with red pimples. The doctors also said that it was nothing to worry about! She was subcribed creams and antiobotics, but it never cured it and only got worse. She has now had this for 9 months. We are having a PET scan on Saturday to see if the cancer has spread anywhere else in the body.
We have been through such a long process and I am worried what her prognosis.
How are you now?
I didnt know tat4tit but I know that she was an amazing support to so many ladies on here whilst battling so hard herself, Thoughts with her family at this time and as you say Fly high Tat x
It is with greatest sadness that I have to report that this hideous disease has claimed another victim .
Sadly tat4tit lost her battle with Angiosarcoma last month . Many of you will have been supported by her wonderful sense of humour and wit on these boards , I know I was . Will miss her so much .
Fly high Tat . FUAS .
Hugs, xxx
Congrats Jill
Always like to hear positive news from you, given that you only got this because of treatment. Seems so drastically unfair. Keep well my dear xxxx ps hope your husband's doing ok now too
Hi Ali49,
I had breast cancer in 2008 , wide local excision , followed by 6 months chemo and 3 weeks rads , plus 5 years Arimidex as treatment . Then 5 years later in 2014 I found a bruise on my treated breast , mammogram and ultrasound said no probs ( so wrong) but luckily my consultant was on the ball and had a skin punch biopsy done . I was then diagnosed with radiation induced Angiosarcoma , an aggrsssive cancer of the lining of the blood vessels , caused by the radiaton treatment. Very rare , only 1% of folks develop this , but it is growing with the use of more breast conserving treatments .When the main treatment was mastectomy , it was unknown .
I had a radical mastectomy in Jan 2015 , but it metasticised to my right breast within three months , so in June 2015 had a second mastectomy . It is so rare I have to be treated by a specialist sarcoma team , most medical staff have never even heard of it , let alone treated a case . I have the regular chest x-rays because the next expected mets would be in my lungs !!! I have been clear for 1 year and 5 months now , so hoping it continues .
Hope you are keeping well .
Hugs ,
Had my four monthly chest x-ray and check up with the oncologist on Monday . He was pleased with the look of my scars and said they looked good to him , which was great .
It is now almost two years since I was diagnosed on Christmas Eve 2014 , after a terrible period of recurrence and mets , I have been stable for 1 year and 5 months , so he has moved me on to six monthly x-rays and check ups , which is fine by me as it means fewer rads for my body to have to handle and rads caused all this in the first place !!!
I mentioned that I have a swollen and very painful finger ( stupidly worried about bone mets ) so he was really lovely and said he thought it was only osteoarthritis , but would have it x-rayed with my chest to put my mind at rest . So just need to wait for the results now .
Hope everyone else is keeping well and coping with treatments and side effects .
Jill xxxx
Thanks Bibi , it was a great relief !! He has been my rock , whilst I have been through so many cancer treatments , breast , thyroid and now Angiosarcoma , really don't know what I would do without him .
Hope you are keeping well , and coping .
Hugs, Jill xx
Wow great news Jill. Keep well xx
Just keeping my thread alive , so that this awful disease remains prominent and people are aware of it !!
Good news after my hubby's CT scan , NO cancer to be seen !!! Yeh !! However he does have a small pulmonary embolism , which they presume has broken away from the larger clot in his leg !! Hopefully the blood thinning drugs will sort both of these in time . Meanwhile he continues to impersonate the Moulin Rouge dancers in his black stockings !!!
Hope everyyone is keeping well and coping with treatments .
Hugs ,
Jill xxxx
Well my OH has had his appointment at the Clot Clinic and was told as his clot is unexplained he will have a full CT scan as it could be caused by an undiagnosed cancer !!!
So back on the scanxiety treadmill . Wonder if we will ever get off ?
Hope everyone else is keeping well and able to enjoy the BH tomorrow .
Jill xxxx
It is actually called the VTE Clinic Tat , just my sense of humour renamed it the ' Clot Clinic ' . LOL. The hospital rang on Monday to say he has an appointment on Thursday 18th . Not within the said two weeks , but at least he has an appointment .
Things went quite well on Saturday , well, as well as could be expected . Saw the new Breast Consultant , who was really nice and sounded as if he knew what was what . Said scan showed it was an ecapsulated haematoma , which meant that the fluid could no longer be reabsorbed into the body , but just became solid forming a hard lump .
Said normally they would operate to remove , but that as mine was so large and covered such a wide area , he was reluctant to do this as he felt they would have difficulty removing it completely and I could end up in a worse situation , with more swelling etc !!! I could see his point , and am reluctant to have further surgery in case I might need it for the AS later on ( who knows with this bum disease ) .
I did say I was concerned that AS could develop in that area and he said he would see me again in 3 months to monitor everything closely . So it was the best outcome I could have hoped for really , even though it means I have to lump my lump !!!
Have you any news on your results yet ? Good luck with the Camp on Saturday , hope you have a great time .
Hugs ,
Jill xxxx
How did your review go on Saturday, Jill? Any answers re your non-fluid filled, 'is it or isn't it' haematoma??
I hope your hubby finally has an appointment for the 'Clot' clinic? That name would be the subject of much ribbing in our house 😉
Know the feeling of falling between two stools re support, Jill. The BCN assigned to me was hopeless; in fairness to her she'd never had a primary AS patient before so didn't know how to support me, but she didn't try very hard either! It is such an extra burden having to work out who to contact for answers or being flipped back and forth between departments. I had a problem after my surgery with the breast surgeon clearly trying to make sure he was the lead for my care, but I raised it with my sarcoma consultant and he apologised and said they would be sorting out their protocol for cooperation with the breast unit. Apparently they work very well with the orthopaedic hospital for bone sarcomas but hadn't sorted cooperation with the breast unit. Lovely to be the guinea ig for that one. Not!! xxx
Oh good grief Tat , they are certainly making you wait !! It is so stressful waiing for these scans , but the wait for the results is far worse . Hopefully they won't make you wait too long for those .... fingers crossed .
Weirdly enough , I never had a personal sarcoma CNS during my initial treatment and mx !! There was a sarcoma nurse tel number , but I never met her , or had much contact apart from informing me of appontments . Then when I had the recurrence in my scar and mets in the other breast , I was given a breast CNS , she was great and talked to my hubby and I after the diagnosis etc. and sorted out my CT scan info , and I was able to email her etc. with my concerns .
Then I received a letter , saying as I was moving on with my treatment ( ???? ) she would no longer be my main point of contact !! I think it was a standard breast letter and she presumed I was having chemo and rads . My original surgeon was head of the breast unit as well as the sarcoma team , he has now retired and I seem to have fallen between two stools . My oncologist is the sarcoma onc , but I am still having follow up appointments in the breast unit , although the sarcoma lead is no longer a part of that dept. New one is a plastic surgeon , confused ???? I certainly am . LOL .
Poor hubby still has no appointment at the " Clot Clinic " , hope it will turn up next week .
Meanwhile I have a 6 month review on Sat with the breast unit ...... so will report back on what they say about my ultrasound scan , that said my " haematoma " no longer consists of fluid !!! Sigh !!!
Take care everyone ,
Hugs ,
Jill xx
Corks! Naked cycling sounds positively dangerous, as well as totally unhygienic. Wonder if it's bring your own saddle ha ha xx
Hi girls. So, a month after finding out there was something dodgy on my scans I have an MRI appt for 8th August. I guess I need to get used to taking up my place on the conveyor belt and awaiting next steps without panicking. So easy to say and an absolute breeze to do. Not!! Had a wonderful lunch with old school friends today, so all loved up and relaxed 🙂
Glad there's something happening for your hubby, Jill, and hope the appt comes through really quickly. Why don't you have a sarcoma CNS now??
I get naturism in your own home and, possibly, garden if it's not overlooked, but being a rudie nudie in public is beyond my understanding andCYCLING nude is just weird! I do hope they weren't rental bikes.... 😉 Euuwww!
Yes waiting seems to always be the name of the game Bibi. Don't they realse how stressful it all is ?? The longest time I've had to wait was for my skin biopsies ( on some sun damaged skin ) 8 weeks !!! The consultant told me , you will hear from us in 3/8 weeks . It was 8 weeks to the day !! I always go on the theory that no news is good news !!!
Hopefully the pills will be working in the meantime .... fingers crossed !!!
Jill xxx
Hi Jill pleased to hear they have identified the clot & he has started treatment. Two weeks seems a long time to wait under the circs .. you don't realise what the NHS cash shortage is like until you're in the system. I still can't understand why people have to wait 2-3 weeks for mammo results when we know it can be done same day. You just think, work late & catch up with your backlog guys! xx
Oh my goodness Tat , no wonder you are annoyed , it all seems to be taking an age . Hopefully your CNS can chivvy them along for you . I know mine was brilliant at getting things sorted , when I had one .
So sorry to hear about your friend , that is really devastating news to be given . As Bibi says it is amazing how much asbestos was about in old buildings .
Hubby had his scan on Tuesday and has a small clot near his groin , will get appointment for the " Clot Clinic " in the next two weeks and must keep taking the blood thinners until then . Hopefully as it is small it will not be too problematic and the drugs will do their stuff !!! So just pottering and taking it gently until we know more !!!
I always remember camping in France ,on the west coast one year , with friends and their children . We were driving down a road when we passed these nudists riding their bicycles along , the kids were in hysterics at the rudie nudies !!! LOL .
Hope everyone has a better week .
Hugs ,
Jill xxxx
Yes, certainly does seem an awfully long time to leave you in limbo. Glad you're managing to divert yourself with your Two go Mad in Dorset week. You certainly hit the jackpot of English weather! Terribly sorry to hear about your friend. What devastating news. You think mesothelioma is a thing of the past, but I certainly worked in Victorian hospitals in my youth, which were later demolished & found to have asbestos in. I would think some teachers & anyone else in the public sector could have been exposed. Dreadful. Another example of humans creating something toxic & life threatening to themselves. Jill hope HB is ok. xx
Oh Jill, what a worry 😞 Really hoping it's a DVT and the blood thinners sort it. And then I think it's time you caught a break and life was kind to you both!
Filey was one of our most favourite places as a family when we lived in Yorkshire, so many happy hours on that beach and rock pooling! We once saw the lifeboat being launched and our son was so excited he talked about nothing else for weeks!
We've been decorating and helping my mother in law and husband's aunt with their gardens, but today was a day off and we went to Tyneham village. It was cleared in 1943 so the allies could prepare for the Normandy landings and the locals were told they could return after the war, but the govt decided to keep it within the military firing ranges and it has never been lived in since. We walked to the beach at Wolbarrow in the sea mist and fried on the way back in full sun. Late pub lunch (no after effects!) on the way home and a lovely day.
Rudie nudie is a term well used in my family, Bibi 😉
No biopsy appt yet, but my CNS is on it. The radiographers need to review the MRI & CT images to decide if they can biopsy it, but I'm still annoyed it's all taking so long.
Another bit of bad news yesterday that a friend of ours has been dx with mesothelioma - lung cancer from exposure to asbestos. Incurable and inoperable. We've known this couple for nearly 30 years and it's utterly devastating 😞 FUAS and FU cancer.
Oh dear Jill v.sorry to hear that. Just what you both don't need, lots more hospital appts. Fingers crossed it isn't too serious. Tat, your Dorset house sounds lovely & you two parading into the rudey nudey area (as my sister used to call it when she was younger) made me snigger. Congrats on your anniversary xx
Well today has not been a good day !! Poor hubby had blood test that confirms he almost certainly has a DVT in his right leg !!! On blood thinners and now his turn to wait for an ultrasound scan !!! We are both really upset and worried about this !! If not DVT , then blood test results could mean heart failure or cancer , so bum choices whatever !!!
Hope everyone else has had a better day .
Hugs ,
Jill xxx
Hi Kerri ,
Congratulations on your 25th Wedding Anniversary , what a shame that you were sick after your special meal !!
Did you get any joy from your CNS today ? Was she able to chase up the biopsy date for you .Really hope it is very soon, so that you can get some answers .
I have my ultra sound scan tomorrow , but am not sure what it will accomplish . At least it will hopefully establish what the lump is ( and prove it is NOT my ribs ) even if they decide they can't do anything about it now it is a year old !!! Happy birthday dear lump... Just wish they had aspirated it when it first appeared , instead of worrying about infection .
Your cottage in Dorset sounds great . I love the sea and a beach to walk on . In fact we went to Filey today and did just that . I love looking for "stuff " as we walk along and fill my pockets . Hubby thinks I am bonkers !! Thought I was even more bonkers when I bought miniscule ammonites for my dolls' house . LOL
How did the Sarcoma Support group go ? Hope it was really successful .
Please keep in touch and let me know how the biopsies go.......
Jill .xxx
Hi Jill. I read this post after your post on the FB page. I'm so pleased you got your holiday and had a good time and hoping you have many, many more :).
I still have no appt for the biopsy 12 days after appt with Onc. Will call my CNS tomorrow. Today is our 25th wedding anniversary and we had a lovely pub meal yesterday evening, but I was terribly sick between 2 and 5 am, so today was a bit of an anticlimax! We're at our cottage in Dorset - my 'happy place' (if you discount the local pub!). We had a rental property and decided to sell it after my dx and buy a little cottage near my mother in law. We spent yesterday at the coast, accidentally walking into the naturist end of Ringstead beach.....very odd, and good for a giggle, but the rest was good for the soul 🙂
Last weekend we threw a big party for our kids who turned 18 and 21 this year. We had flair bartenders which was fun, but it was a lot of work, including the breakfast (well, brunch) for my son's uni mates who stayed over. So it was lovely to escape down here with just our furry baby to look after! Lots more walking and beaches planned - really helps me with all the uncertainty at the moment and generally.
Not long now until your holiday, Bibi! Hope you have a wonderful family time together. It's easy to underestimate how much our dx and treatment affects our families and I'm sure you are all ready for some R&R together xx
Know all about cancelling hols Bibi !! Over the last few years seem to have done that a few times . Hope you have a great time in September .
Jill xxx
Glad someone is listening to you Jill. Also pleased you enjoyed your hol. We had to cancel our hols last year & my poor HB is on his knees having gone without a hol for 15 months. We are going in Sept & can't wait xx
Just posting an update to help my keep my thread alive and the word Angiosarcoma in focus .
Firstly we got to Portugal ( complete with travel insurance ) and had a great time . The apartment was great , the weather brill and I enjoyed the freedom of being flat and fabulous on the beach . It was great to chill and try to forget all the medical issues !!
I saw my oncologist , for my 4 monthly check up and x-ray today and talked about my haematoma , lump , whatever !!! I have been told in turn it is my ribs , scar tissue , body fat , haematoma . It has been aspirated under ultrasound and washed out under anaesthetic , but has refilled both times .
He looked at it , prodded and poked and importantly listened to me . Result is that he has arranged for me to have an ultrasound . I am really pleased as at least it means they will look at it again and may come to some conclusion as to what they can do with it . After a year I am sooooo fed up of it !!!
Hope every one else is keeping well .
Jill xxx
Thanks for the understanding Tat , have decided I am going to just try and chill for the moment ,go to Portugal enjoy some sunshine and then when I get back will decide what I am going to do .
One plan is to look at my records through my GP and see what has been recorded officially , as opposed to being told verbally . The other thing I want to do is talk to my Oncologist and see what is actually shown on my x-rays and CT scans ..... when I am armed with info , I will decide the next steps .
Hope you have had a good Easter with all the family .
Have just been to see " The Railway Children " , the film version of the play in the York Railway Museum . Thought it was brilliant and really enjoyed it .
Hugs, Jill xxxx
Rant away, Jill, I'd be doing the same in those circumstances! I know how much you were hoping this appointment might give answers and some relief after all this time. Do you have a sarcoma CNS? Mine are great at finding ways through the hospital bureaucracy and happily sort out appointments etc. Another route might be to get another referral through your GP? Big hug xx
Pardon me whilst I rant !!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Went for my appointment today with the breast surgeon . Lovely old surgeon retired at Christmas , so got a registrar today , never seen me before or treated me . Looks at my haematoma/ swelling and promptly tells me it is just scar tissue !!! I try to explain that previous ultrasounds show that it is not .... he says blood clots do not last this long withouy being absorbed , so must just be scar tissue !!!! It is like a large , fat sausage and is about 6/8 inches long running vertically down from my mx scar , along my ribs .....no surgery in this area so how can it be scar tissue ??
It has been drained once , and also washed out under a general anaesthetic , when the surgeon said she had never seen any thing like it before and it was very unusual ....it was flat on both occasions after the draining , before it refilled . It may be hardened blood/ fluid etc , but I told him I did not believe it was scar tissue !! He still maintained it was !!! I was so angry and frustrated I could have cried .
The only plus to the whole sorry episode was that he did say they would keep an eye on it , as the angiosarcoma could recurr anywhere , and they would check it again in 6 months .
Anyway enough of my moans .... well done Tat on finishing your marathon of rads ..... you must be sooo relieved . Large glass of something called for to celebrate , I think .
Big hugs ,
Jill .xxxx
I'm soooo pleased you have a holiday booked! I love Portugal (especially the food!) and you so deserve a relaxing break. Hope you can leave it all behind and just enjoy yourselves for a while. We're off to Devon for a long weekend after Easter - not quite Portugal, but a start to getting our lives back!!
Your haematoma sounds awful - I dont know anything about the management and treatment of them, but there has to be something else they can try? So glad you only have to wait until Monday for your appointment and, hopefully, a plan. Do post an update, please? The FB groups have been a bit sad recently so I love to hear good news 😉
Gentle hugs, Jill. Tat xx
Hi Tat ,
That is just the best, most fantastic news !! Plus just one more rads on Monday and you are cooked ...yeh !! Glad they have a good observation plan set up for you too . That is brilliant , and very reassuring .
I have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday . Original appointment was for 27th April ( right in the middle of holiday in Portugal ) typical !! So rang to ask about the chance of a cancellation and got one on Monday . Yeh !! Will see what he has to say about my haematoma , if anything . I expect " just have to put up with it " due to risk of infection / sepsis etc . but at least will feel better that someone has looked at it. Then roll on Portugal and some sunshine .
Here's to many more NEDs for us both .
Jill xxxxx
Hi Jill, CT scan shows NED 🙂 In 8 weeks' time, once my chest wall has settled after rads, I will have an MRI and then 3 monthly CT scans for at least 2 years. It feels so good to have that first NED under my belt. Here's to many more for both of us 🙂 Tat xx
Second class post? Unbelievable!! Utterly fab result, though, when the letter eventually arrived 😉
The fear of recurrence or mets is the biggest issue, without a doubt. I am accessing some psychological support - mindfulness is definitely an option I will explore, anything that helps to live with AS is worth looking into. We are also making some changes to our life to do more of the things we enjoy - I'm determined to live rather than wait, but it's a struggle some days.
I have 5 more rads to go!! There was a time when I doubted I could complete the course, but I know I will now. It's been gruelling, but I gave up trying to be brave and started taking regular painkillers around the half way mark and, with the PolyMem dressing, that made it seem less daunting. I am very tired, but my OH says I put up less of a fight now when he bundles me into the car! I have a 'stash' of PolyMem to keep me going for after rads - so excited for a week Monday when I don't have to go to plan my day around going to the hospital!!
I'm seeing my onc on Friday and I hope the CT results are in. Although she called it a baseline scan I can't help but worry...! The plan is 3 monthly CTs going forward.
Hope you've booked that holiday to Portugal! Some vino verde and grilled sardines would hit the spot nicely 🙂
Stay in touch and report in on your adventures and NEDs. Hugs back at you and FUAS, of course!! xxx
Well, my letter from the oncologist came this morning ( second class post would you believe ?? ) and my chest x-ray was clear ....yeh !!! No sign of my angiosarcoma , so NED for the time being . That makes 8 months and 11 days so far . Counting ....moi ???? LOL .
Whilst being delighted , I am also hugely apprehensive of the future recurrences that may happen . Such a bum disease that leaves you terrified of its shadow . Have being going to a series of Mindfulness classes , which do help one to appreciate the present and fear the future less .
Tat , you must be nearing the finish line this week , hope the skin is holding up and the pain bearable . I went on " cooking " for quite a while afterwards , so keep up the moisturising and skin care . Have they any further treatments on the cards for you , or is it a regime of scans , x-rays and follow up appointments ? Am rooting for you all the way .... let me know how things evolve ....and oh yes ...FUAS !!!
Jill xx
Hi Tat ,
One more down ...yeh !! Only 11 to go now , say it quickly though . LOL .
Hope the CT scan goes well , and doesn't find anything lurking !! They injected the contrast when I had my last one , but I had to sit and drink pints of water ..... yuk !! I actually like water and drink quite a lot normally , but all that in set space of time made me feel quite sick ....not to mention wanting to wee , when you're not allowed to 😳.
Am waiting to see the x-ray results , then hopefully booking a trip to Portugal . We never got away last year due to AS and operations , then to crown it all our Mobile Home was washed away in the floods in the south of France in October 2015 . Bummer !!! Still it could have been worse , at least we weren't there at the time .Friends spent several hours sitting on the roof of theirs , in the rain and the dark
, before being winched up into a rescue helicopter !!!
Hope you manage to get away too and can chill and relax .... FUAS as they say indeed !!
Jill xxx
I know what you mean about side stepping the question and the 'everyone's different' comment could have come straight from my CNS's mouth! I'm not criticising them as they are working on limited data too, but it's not much of a help for us trying to work out how to live with this awful cancer....
Rad number 22 today after a day off yesterday while the machine was serviced. The dressings are nothing short of miraculous! I've carried on taking anti inflammatories for the swelling, but no other pain relief needed. My energy levels have been near normal the past couple of days, possibly because I'm not in pain and am sleeping better. All in all, I'm much more hopeful of finishing the rads now. My onc wants a baseline CT scan so next Weds will be a long day with rads follwed by 2 hours in the CT unit chugging down more contrast liquid. Good job I don't have a life outside of cancer at the moment!! Excited to see signs of spring now though and planning to make up for lost time this summer 🙂 Hope you manage to get away too. Big hug and, as the Americans on the AS FB page say, FUAS!! xxx
Hi Tat ,
So good to hear from you , have been following your progress on other boards and am sorry to hear that your skin is so sore . 21/ 33 !!! The pain must be awful , can really sympathise with you .
I only had 15 sessions and that was bad enough . Because my boob was a tad on the generous side I had awful blisters on the underside , and they gave me some great dressings that were intended for ulcers !! Your rads are going straight on to your scar , I can't begin to imagine the pain !! So glad that they have given you some dressings that are really soothing . Hope the pain meds are good too !!
Yeh , I am hoping it means " if " rather than " when " too . They changed my oncologist to the lung sarcoma specialist and he keeps inferring this is the favourite site for mets . I don't like to keep mentioning that mine has already behaved out of character by metasticising into my other breast !!! LOL . I have asked them outright ( several times ) what they think my prognosis is , but they always sidestep the question , by saying everyone is different !! One reads such depressing statistics on the old tinterweb , 70 % chance of recurrence within two years ( already hit that stat ) and only 30% chance of making five years disease free !! Bummer . Oh well ....onwards and upwards !!
Will let you know what results of x-ray are ....and keep following your progress .
Jill xxx
Hi Jill. Good to see you posting, hope you are feeling well and managing to enjoy yourself despite the constant background anxiety.
When you say 'they expect it to metastasise to the lungs' I hope that means IF it metastasises the most likely place is the lungs??? I still haven't been given any view on prognosis despite asking direct questions and that is extremely hard to live with. Sounds like your team are a bit more open about all the possibilities. I'd definitely prefer that, rather than filling in the gaps myself with the limited published data I've found!
I am due rad number 21/33 today. It's hard going, very sore, very tired and not a little fed up! I was munching a lot of painkillers and seriously questioning whether I could continue rads until they gave me some PolyMem dressings yesterday. The relief from soreness/itching/pain has given me hope I can finish the course and the tiredness will mean I put up less of a struggle being bundled into the car to rads!!
Please let us know when you have the results of your chest x-ray? Tat x♥x
Been for my three monthly check up and chest x- ray today. Have to wait for the results of the x-ray , but am hoping all will be clear .....fingers crossed .
They expect my angiosarcoma to metasticise into my lungs , so my follow up appointments are all with a lung sarcoma oncologist now !!! He will see me every four months for a check up and chest x-ray , for the next two years , then every six months if we make it that far !!!
Still waiting for a follow up appointment re my haematoma , rang up and was told it will probably be April !!! That two months is certainly elastic !!!
Hope everyone is keeping well .
Jill xxxx
Hi Sharon ,
Thank you for your lovely kind words , it is really good to hear from you here. I follow everyone's progress in the " Marching Together " thread . Glad you are enjoying your new job and looking forward to a nice break . Lets hope we all have a better year than last !!
Have my three monthly check up with the oncologist on the 29th , so am keeping my fingers crossed he doesn't find any problems , so that we too can hopefully have a break in the sun .. yeh !!!
Last time we had a holiday was in Sept 2014 , during which I hoped that the bruise on my left boob would heal up in time for my yearly mammogram in Oct !!! If only I had known then what I know now !!!
Lots of love and hugs and take care of you too. xxx
Jill xxx
Hi Jill 🙂
Just nipped in to see how you are doing and I'm so pleased to hear you're NED at the moment, although I know the fear and worry are always present. I just can't believe how positive you manage to be throughout all of this, you really are an amazing woman. I'm sending you every single good wish and positive thought in my possession for a happy and healthy year.
Lots of love and take very good care of yourself
I'm really sorry that you also have this bum disease Tat , but it is comforting to be able to talk to someone else who understands what it is !!
I keep this thread going to try and keep some awareness of this disease out there . I live in hope that folks might be more aware of the symptoms and not ignore them in their ignorance like I did . It is rare , but sadly on the increase !!
Here's to an AS free 2016 for both of us .
Jill xxx
I'm really sorry that you also have this bum disease Tat , but it is comforting to be able to talk to someone else who understands what it is !!
I keep this thread going to try and keep some awareness of this disease out there . I live in hope that folks might be more aware of the symptoms and not ignore them in their ignorance like I did . It is rare , but sadly on the increase !!
Here's to an AS free 2016 for both of us .


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White House: Brennan was in Kiev this weekend
The White House confirmed Monday that CIA Director John Brennan traveled to Kiev, Ukraine, in recent days as part of a longer trip to Europe.
Russian media reported Brennan's visit to Kiev this past weekend, raising suspicions about it.
Those suspicions are unwarranted, said White House spokesman Jay Carney, adding that Brennan was only meeting with intelligence counterparts in Ukraine.
White House spokesman Jay Carney made a statement about Brennan's visit:
"Well, we don't normally comment on the CIA director's travel, but given the extraordinary circumstances in this case, and the false claims being leveled by the Russians at the CIA, we can confirm that the director was in Kiev this weekend as part of a trip to Europe.
"Senior level visits of intelligence officials are a standard means of fostering mutually beneficial security cooperation, including U.S.-Russian intelligence collaboration going back to the beginnings of the post-Cold War era.
"U.S. and Russian intelligence officials have met over the years. To imply that U.S. officials meeting with their counterparts is anything other than in the same spirit is absurd."
From the Associated Press:
"Ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych is accusing the CIA of being behind the new government's decision to turn to force. But the CIA denies that Brennan encouraged Ukrainian authorities to conduct tactical operations."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Platform, a buzz word these days… "What's Your Author' Platform"? THE famous question you will be asked by agents and publishers before they even consider to read your query or manuscript. As they spend almost all of their marketing dollars for bestseller authors, publishing houses nowadays expect authors to do their own book marketing. To ensure, the author brings his or her own audience and lots of potential readers and book buyers, agents and publishers want to see lots of followers and friends on Social Media sites and how an author appears on these sites. They want to see a solid number of blog subscribers/web visitors and the authors ability to present themselves to an audience.
So, What Are the Essentials of a Platform?
In short:, platform is the visibility, the authority of the author, a proven reach, as well as a far reaching audience.
- A Quality Blog / Website with a Large Readership
- Guest blogging to successful websites, blog, magazines, and other media
- Public speaking – the bigger the better, however at least at your local library
- Smart connected social media presences (Google+, Twitter, FB, LinkedIn etc.)
- Forum memberships, starting with Goodreads, Bibliophil, Wattpad …
- Media appearances/interviews online and in print, TV, radio
- and …. more than one book!
Building an Author Platform
is not something you can do overnight, or in a month. The best time to start working on your platform is long before you start writing your book. Even if your book is excellent, has received great reviews, a marvelous cover – if readers don't know about it, you are stuck. And if you go with a major publisher and they would receive – within three months from your books' launch – lots of unsold copies returned by the bookstores, they would never publish anything from you again. That's why they ask, "how will you market your book" or "what's your platform."
You might think, this is the publishers job – and you might be right. But not even for famous authors they will do all the blogging or social media part, they only advertise celebrities way more than unknown writers and pay for exposed space in bookstores, or send these authors on book signing tours.
That's all Publishers will Do:
- editing, transforming a good manuscript to a great one
- design the book (layout) and its cover
- organize the printing process / e-book formatting
- distribute your book in stores, speciality retailers and online
- carry out all the necessary book keeping with retailers and your royalty payments
Publishing houses laid off a huge amount of their staff within the last years. Remaining, over-worked publicists are not able to give your book's marketing the attention it needs.
"When is it Time to Start Building your Author Platform?"
Alan Rinzler, former editor for some of the "Big Five" explains in detail the Do's and Don'ts "What writers need to know" and gives detailed examples – a must-read for every author. He reminds authors: "A cardinal rule of the new author platform is never to actually ask people to buy your book (and my advise: never to motion people to like / follow you on FB or Twitter). Rather promulgate your work by making an enduring connection. Establish an authentic online personality, offer valuable information, analysis, opinion, and inspiring entertainment."
Jane Friedman, e-media professor and former publisher of Writer's Digest brought it to the point: "Getting a book published does not equate to readership. You must cultivate a readership every day – and start today. Audience development doesn't happen overnight, or in six months or a year. It continues for as long as you want to have people read your books." Read also Kristen Lamb's blog article "When is it Time to Start Building your Author Platform?" Read the blog post about bestseller author Trey Ratcliff, mentioned in a former article.
Without having a clear idea of which methods of promoting yourself and your work are really worth the investment of time, you might be tempted to avoid the subject entirely. But in today's publishing world, neglecting your platform, even before you have a book deal, can be a precarious mistake. The most successful authors are those who have created ways of finding lasting fans – and of reaching out to new ones every day.
If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $ 159 for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.international-ebooks.com/book-promo to advertise your new book, specials or KDP Select Free Days.
Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 900 of them : ) if you haven't already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on "Follow" in the upper line on each page – and then on "LIKE" next to it. There is also the "SHARE" button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.
Thanks a lot for following:
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+


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text:
I applaud Sophia A. Gruzdys, the author of this review, for taking a stand against this book's argument that drawing is no longer a viable tool for architects.
Read the review: The Death of Drawing: Architecture in the Age of Simulation | Book Review | Architectural Record.
Feel free to share the content of this posting, but please provide a link back to 2H Pencil.


text:
Prevent, detect, treat: The latest on breast cancer headlines
The headline: You can lower your risk for breast cancer even if you have a family history.
The details: A study found that 20 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days a week, a body mass index of less than 25 and fewer than seven alcoholic drinks a week lowered breast cancer risk regardless of family history.
The take-home message: "Sometimes a family history leads a woman to think 'This is something I can't change,'" says study author Dr. Robert E. Gramling of the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y. "But engaging in these three behaviors appears to have the same benefits for women with a family history of breast cancer as it does for women without a history."
The headline: Many breast cancer patients who can benefit from radiation aren't getting it.
The details: "We know that women with advanced breast cancer who get radiation are more likely to be alive 10 years after their diagnosis than women who don't," says Dr. Benjamin D. Smith of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But Smith's research found that 45 percent of women over age 66 with advanced breast cancer don't undergo radiation. Whether docs aren't suggesting it or women are passing on it is unclear.
The take-home message: Ask your doctor to spell out the treatments considered "standards of care" for your stage of cancer. Plus, visit websites for the American Cancer Society or National Cancer Institute to make sure you have all the facts.
The headline: Most women find their own breast cancers.
The details: In a study, 57 percent of breast cancer survivors reported that their tumors had been found by a detection method other than mammography. Twenty-five percent had noticed the tumor during a breast self-exam and 18 percent by accident. Forty-three percent said their cancers had been found by a mammogram.
The take-home message: Regular mammograms are the gold standard for detecting breast cancer. But "almost half of breast cancers are still found by women," says study author Dr. Diana L. Miglioretti, of Group Health Research Institute in Seattle. Since a tumor can be missed or start to grow after you've gotten the all-clear from a radiologist, see your doctor if you notice anything suspicious.
The headline: Tailored treatments may offer new hope to women with triple negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease.
The details: TNBC, which is more common in African-American and Hispanic women, doesn't respond to standard treatments like tamoxifen or Herceptin, so the tumors tend to recur; less than 30 percent of women with metastatic TBNC survive five years. But researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville recently identified six subtypes of triple negative breast cancer that are linked to the activities in several genes and may respondto different therapies.
The take-home message: While the findings are tantalizing, they're not ready for primetime. More research is needed before they'll influence treatment, says co-investigator Dr. Brian D. Lehmann, a post-doctoral fellow.
The headline: Vitamin D relieves joint pain in breast cancer patients, typically caused by aromatase inhibitors prescribed to many women to shrink tumors and prevent a cancer recurrence.
The details: A study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that prescription megadoses of vitamin D2 can ease the muscle and joint pain that may prompt women on AIs to abandon the treatments. A group of women taking 50,000 IUs of D2, a type of the vitamin that comes from plants, weekly for eight weeks and a second group on the megadoses for 16 weeks reported up to a 40 percent reduction in joint and muscle pain.
The take-home message: While more research is needed before D2 megadoses become routine, ask your doctor about trying it if you develop side effects from AIs.


text:
Wishing all of my lovely friends and your families a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2015. Sharing with you today a staple snack in Goa called Patties (pronounced as pat-tis). A light snack stuffed with spiced ground beef in a puff pastry shell.
Patties were only made with ground beef. Now a days you can find it made with chicken and potatoes. Before all the fancy cafe's in Goa there were tea stalls, small mom and pop cafe's and bakeries were Patties were on the menu. Bakeries during the 80's and 90's had very limited choices. Fresh bread was baked 2 times a day and a few snacks and sweets. To name a few Nankhatai (cookies made with flour, sugar and butter), Botta (baked crisped sweet bread sticks), Kaankana( Goan toasted hard Bagel), Angel Wings ( Palmier's) and Plain Toast. I remember as my dad would get these all the time for our evening tea.
Usually Patties are not made at home but are bought from the bakery or cafe's as puff pastry dough is hard to find in the stores and not too many people know how to make puff pastry dough. It's a different story now a days. All you need for this recipe is to make Mince Meat (cooked ground beef) which you can make in advance and then stuffed in puff pastry dough and baked.
Serving approx: 24 patties
1 lbs of very lean ground beef (93%)
1 medium onion chopped fine
1″ ginger chopped fine
1 tbsp of xacuti masala
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp of sugar
1/2 tsp of vinegar
1 box of puff pastry
salt to taste
Heat oil in a pot, saute the onions and ginger till onions are translucent.
Add the xacuti masala and saute for 1 minute. Add the vinegar, sugar and saute for a quick minute.
Next add the ground beef and mix it well with all the spices add water and salt to taste and cook covered for 20 minutes on medium heat. Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes till all the water dries.
Take 1 medium diced onion and brown it with 1/2 tsp of sugar and salt, till light caramelized. Mix it together with the cooked ground beef. Let this mixture cool.
Heat oven to 400F
Divided each thawed sheet into 6 equal portions. On one half of the part place a tablespoon full of ground beef. Fold the sheet and press all the side together as a nice rectangle.
Continue with the above step for each cut out part. Line the patties on a sprayed cookie sheet. Lightly brush with oil/melted butter on top. Bake for approx 15 minutes till crust is light golden brown and puffy.
Not a meat eater then we have the Vegetarian Patties Recipe for you. Just stuff the puff pastry with any cooked vegetables or cooked mushrooms.
Serve hot for brunch or as a snack.


text:
One of the largest anti-war protests in recent years took place last week. If you blinked you may have missed it. Even if you didn't blink you had to know where to look.
There was a black-out and a white-out Thursday and Friday as over a hundred US veterans opposed to US wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world, and their civilian supporters, chained and tied themselves to the White House fence during an early snowstorm to say enough is enough.
Washington Police arrested 135 of the protesters, in what is being called the largest mass detention in recent years. Among those arrested were Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst who used to provide the president's daily briefings, Daniel Ellsberg, who released the government's Pentagon Papers during the Nixon administration, and Chris Hedges, former war correspondent for the New York Times.
No major US news media reported on the demonstration or the arrests. It was blacked out of the New York Times, blacked out of the Philadelphia Inquirer, blacked out in the Los Angeles Times, blacked out of the Wall Street Journal, and even blacked out of the capital's local daily, the Washington Post, which apparently didn't even think it was a local story worth publishing.
John Halle has more over at Corrente:
First, one was a rally held at the Lincoln Memorial some distance from the White House while the other centered around civil disobedience at the White House fence.
Secondly, more significantly, the Veterans directly and passionately criticized the Obama administration and its policies. In contrast, at the One Nation rally, according to Patrick Martin of the World Socialist website:
"Nearly every speaker combined warnings of the consequences of a Republican victory in the November 2 election with appeals to those attending the rally to spend the next month in all-out campaigning for a Democratic Party victory. There was no examination of the actual policies of the Democrats, still less of the relatively insignificant differences between the two big business parties.
There was no criticism of the Obama administration by name, even by speakers who criticized some of the policies for which the Democratic president is responsible."
These two protests clearly display an unmistakeable and unbridgeable difference in perspective-between support (including highly critical support), on the one side and active dissent and militant opposition on the other.
This distinction, which has immediate practical consequences for how, or whether, a protest movement will develop and flourish, admits of an explanation: in the opinion of many, much of the left leadership played a role in fomenting unrealistic expectations with respect to the Obama presidency. Their investment in the Obama brand prevents them from endorsing and playing a role in organizing protests of sufficient vehemence and intensity as these would necessarily shine a light on their failure of judgement and lack of credibility.
Whatever happened to Code Pink? Last time I heard about them they were trying to place Karl Rove under citizen's arrest at a book signing. Now much as I'd like to see Turdblossom getting perp walked to prison, he no longer has anything to do with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
Remember the good old days when progressive bloggers thought that Hillary's vote on the Iraq War Resolution was THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER? (That was right before they were promising to hold Obama's "feet to the fire")
How come they don't care about the wars anymore? Why don't they care about Obama's Drone War in Pakistan?
In the words of Bob Dole, "Where's the outrage?"
Filed under: Afghanistan, Iraq | Tagged: Anti-war movement | 22 Comments »


text:
Editor's note: A longer version of this article first appeared at The American Spectator.
This generation has its KAL 007. The stunning downing of Malaysian flight 17 is strikingly similar to the shock of September 1, 1983, when the Russians downed a Korean passenger airliner, flight 007, which had left New York City for Seoul via Alaska. In both cases, the Russian government vehemently denied any involvement, disparaging anyone who dared to accuse it of prior knowledge.
Both planes were Asian with similar numbers of dead. KAL had 269 passengers; the Malaysian flight nearly 300. They were mostly Asian passengers but also Americans—61 Americans in KAL 007 and a much smaller (still unconfirmed) number in the Malaysian flight. In both cases, questions arise over why the planes were flying where they were flying. Exactly what happened with KAL still isn't entirely clear, but it seems the computer on the plane's guidance system was set incorrectly, allowing it to stray into Soviet airspace. Russian fighter planes stalked KAL 007 before blasting it out of the sky.
In 1983, Moscow initially denied the dirty deed, with Yuri Andropov, Vladimir Putin's former boss at the KGB, insisting on his country's innocence. The denials were shattered when the Reagan administration produced audio of the two Russian pilots communicating as they excitedly shot the plane. The audio was secured via the National Security Agency's exceptional electronic surveillance technology.
But a major difference between September 1983 and July 2014 is the initial reaction of the two presidents.
Obama's initial response to MH17 has been dissected at length, including my own earlier analysis. He even offended diehard liberals like CNN's Piers Morgan, and prompted his deep admirer, Chris Matthews, to long for Ronald Reagan. It was extremely disappointing, even as he redeemed himself somewhat with a much stronger assessment the following day.
I will not belabor the point here. Rather, I'd like to underscore another presidential response that I know especially well, and that's worth remembering—notably, Ronald Reagan's reaction to a similar situation.
President Reagan was informed of the KAL catastrophe by his closest aide, national security adviser Bill Clark. As Clark's biographer, I discussed this with him many times.
Reagan was at his ranch in the Santa Ynez Mountains north of Santa Barbara when he received the news via telephone from Clark. "I told him Bill Casey [CIA director] just relayed an unsubstantiated report that the Soviets may have shot down an airliner, possibly Korean," Clark told me. Reagan replied to Clark: "Bill, let's pray it's not true."
They prayed, but it was true. The Soviets never let prayer get in the way of their work.
As Clark recalled, "He [Reagan] said, 'Bill, round table it,' which meant bring it to the decision-making process to get the opinions and recommendations of all the principals in the NSC: Shultz, Weinberger, Kirkpatrick, Casey…."
Clark called Reagan twice that evening with preliminary information, first at 7:30 p.m., California time. Clark was in the "Western Situation Room" at the Biltmore Hotel in Santa Barbara, only a few miles from Reagan. They were not able to confirm the details until 7:10 a.m. the next morning.
Reagan was furious. John Barletta, his riding companion at the ranch, overheard Reagan shout: "Those were innocent civilians. Damn those Russians!"
Clark told the press that he personally expected the Soviets to perpetuate the "big lie" technique. He said he wouldn't be surprised if the Russians claimed that the commercial airliner was on an American espionage mission.
Reagan immediately helicoptered to Point Mugu Naval Air Station in California to board Air Force One for Washington. At 12:35 p.m., from the tarmac, he spoke to the press, excoriating the Soviets for committing a "brutal," "callous," and "heinous act"—a "barbaric act," a "terrorist act." It was all made worse, he said, by the fact that the Russians "so flagrantly lie."
Back in Washington, Reagan immediately met with Clark and the National Security Council. He publicly lit up the Soviets with more statements, including a radio address on September 3 and a nationally televised Oval Office speech on September 5, in which he repeatedly denounced Moscow's "crime" and "massacre." And there were more statements to come.
In a speech on September 15 to the Air Force Association, Clark accused Moscow of "mass murder" and a "twisted mentality." "The sickening display of Soviet barbarism in the Korean Air Lines massacre shocked all of us," Clark said. "But at the same time, this dramatically brutal act must be deemed consistent with the behavior of a Soviet government that continues to terrorize and murder the Afghan people, using chemical weapons on Afghan villages; a Soviet government that sponsors the repression of the entire Polish nation."
As evidence that Clark's words had been pre-approved, the White House press office distributed the text as an expression of administration policy. The media didn't miss it. "Clark Accuses Soviets of 'Mass Murder,'" read the headline in the Washington Post.
And yet, while Ronald Reagan was steamed, he was also very careful. He told Clark flatly: "[L]et's be careful not to overreact to this. We have too much going on with the Soviets…. Bill, we've got to protect against overreaction."
Reagan did not want to start a war over the KAL downing, nor derail the substantial progress they had made toward cutting nuclear arsenals. Besides, he was already hammering the Soviets with the economic sledgehammer (read: economic warfare) and recently announced initiatives like SDI.
How best to react? Reagan decided to respond primarily with words rather than yet more sanctions or a military response (which was out of the question). He deployed one of his favorite weapons against the Kremlin: the verbal cruise missile. Recall that earlier that year, in March, Reagan had labeled the Soviet Union an "Evil Empire," a choice name that dramatically affected Moscow.
So, throughout September 1983, Reagan torched the Soviets in harsh terms, even when delivering speeches on other topics or areas of the world.
On September 25, for instance, Reagan spoke in New York City at the annual Pulaski Day Banquet. There, he linked the KAL 007 "crime" to the same Soviet totalitarian evil responsible for the World War II butchery of Polish military officers in the Katyn forest. "You know that downing a passenger airliner is totally consistent with a government that murdered 15,000 Polish officers in the Katyn forest," he averred. "We cannot let the world forget that crime, and we will not."
He did not. Ronald Reagan's reaction to the Russian downing of an Asian airliner was one of strength, character, and leadership. It's worth knowing and emulating.
---Dr. Paul Kengor is professor of political science and executive director of The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. His latest book is 11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative. His other books include The Communist: Frank Marshall Davis, The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mentor and Dupes: How America's Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century.
Publication date: July 21, 2014


text:
Today's News: Our Take - After Seven Years in the Making, It's Finally Clear "Skies" for Psych: The Musical
To call Psych creator and executive producer Steve Franks an optimist would be a bit of an understatement.
When asked when he first thought of doing a musical episode of the USA cult favorite, Franks readily admits that it was during production on the pilot - before the project had even been picked up to series.
"We did a lot of driving shots where [stars James Roday and Dulé Hill are] being towed by a trailer and then the cameras are mounted on the car so when that happens, these two guys are stuck in the car," Franks tells TVGuide.com. "You can hear everything they're saying the whole time and between every single take as we're turning around, they started singing. They were singing nonsense stuff and making up bits and singing songs. I was like, 'Wow, these guys can really sing and they're just fantastic performers. We could do a musical episode.'"
It may have sounded like a long-shot at the time, but lo and behold, seven years later, Psych: The Musical premieres Sunday at 9/8c on USA. So what took so long? "Of course I insisted, like, I want to write these songs and I want to direct it. I kind of wanted to do everything so I think I was the big impediment with this thing going off," Franks says with a laugh. After trying to tackle the project in Season 3 to no avail - "at that point I was still figuring out how to run a television show" - plans for the musical were finally announced in 2011. "I thought, I'm going to announce it at Comic-Con to force myself to do it," he recalls.
Sadly for eager Psych-os, it would be another year before the musical truly started to take shape. "I give him lots of credit for waiting until he had a concept that he knew we had a real shot at executing. I think it's a fair question for any show that does a musical at this point, especially in the culture of shows that are just musicals every week," Roday says. "It was definitely something that was sort of ever present in our heads: If we're going to do this, we've got to have a pretty good reason for why and we've got to blow it out of the box."
Fortunately, Psych's creator was not only very ambitious, but also very well-versed in songwriting. The only issue Franks had was switching gears from writing rock songs for his band of 20-plus years, The Friendly Indians, to writing showtunes. All in all, Franks penned 12 original songs for the musical, in addition to the script. "It was like a vacation for me, oddly enough, but I've never worked harder on anything in my life," he says.
25 totally unnecessary spin-offs
The same holds true for the cast. After seven years in the holding stage, the cast and crew only had 14 days to shoot the entire two-hour musical once things kicked into high gear. "We literally had half a day with a choreographer on a Saturday to go through all the choreography for all the numbers in the whole show. It was like, 'OK, a lot of this isn't going to stick," Roday says. "We're always ready to look silly if it helps make the show work, so I don't think any of us were that concerned about dancing badly."
Other than letting a few dance moves slide by the wayside, however, Franks, Roday & Co. knew the pressure was on to create a musical episode that was both worthy of the fans who had waited so long, and a satisfying response to its naysayers. "We've taken pretty big swings on this show so far. Some of them have been successes and some of them have been hot messes, and one of the cool things about Psych is that we're not afraid to fall on our face," says Roday, who shares a memorable tango with Timothy Omundson. "Sure, I think there were some people that probably, rightfully, voiced the concerns that go along with doing a musical episode, but we didn't really listen. We rarely listen."
Although musical TV series like Glee, Smash and Nashville have become a big part of the zeitgeist in the last few years, so have single all-musical episodes of shows, some of which have been more well-received (see: Buffy the Vampire Slayer) than others (see: Grey's Anatomy). "There were always a handful of people who were like, 'Oh man, don't do the musical thing. I never liked those episodes of television shows,' and I can understand where it would feel wrong," Franks says. "This episode, if you take the songs out of it, it's still one of the most entertaining [episodes] and just my favorite in terms of story."
TV musicals: The highs and lows
And just as Psych has done so many times before with pop culture landmarks like Twin Peaks and the film Clue, the special also pokes fun at the musical genre, since it centers on an ill-fated musical playing in Santa Barbara. "It takes all the conventions of a musical and comments on them and puts them through the Psych machine in such a way, that even if you don't like the songs, all the things that happen in our show are still happening," Franks says. "It's a regular Psych episode that just happens to have songs in there."
Even those who are a fan of musicals, but not a fan of Psych (yet) will be able to get in on the fun. "I designed it not only for people who hate musicals or like musicals, but I also designed it for people who have never seen Psych before because every character is introduced, who they are, what their relationship is," Franks says. "So it's basically ready to go to Broadway."
Psych: The Musical airs Sunday at 9/8c on USA.
Watch the opening number, "Santa Barbara Skies," now:
View original After Seven Years in the Making, It's Finally Clear "Skies" for Psych: The Musical at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


text:
Oct. 2, 2011— -- (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR (voice-over): This week, he's surging in the polls, and now he's challenging the front-runners.
CAIN: Send Washington a message: They're ready for a problem-solver, not another politician.
AMANPOUR: Our headliner, Herman Cain.
And will he or won't he?
(UNKNOWN): We can't wait another four years.
AMANPOUR: He's listening, but will Governor Chris Christie take the plunge?
Plus, American CEOs...
(UNKNOWN): This is no longer a crisis. It's an emergency.
AMANPOUR: Fed up with political paralysis, they're lashing out at Congress and the president.
OBAMA: Let's make things happen.
AMANPOUR: George Will, Jake Tapper, Republican strategist Nicolle Wallace, and Democratic strategist Mark Penn debate that, plus all the week's politics, on our roundtable.
Then, "This Week" marks 10 years since the start of the Afghan war, America's longest. Martha Raddatz reports from Afghanistan on what's been achieved and at what cost.
ANNOUNCER: Live from the Newseum in Washington, "This Week" with Christiane Amanpour starts right now.
AMANPOUR: Good morning, and welcome to the program. And we have lots to get to today. But first, some news since your morning papers.
More than 700 demonstrators protesting corporate greed, among other issues, were arrested last night on the Brooklyn bridge in New York City. The grassroots movement has swamped Wall Street for more than two weeks now.
President Obama last night blasted the Republican candidates who didn't react as members of a debate audience booed a gay soldier serving in Iraq. The president spoke at the annual gala of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization.
OBAMA: We don't believe in the kind of smallness that says it's OK for a stage full of political leaders, one of whom could end up being the president of the United States, being silent when an America soldier is booed.
We don't believe in that. We don't believe in standing silent when that happens. You want to be commander-in-chief? You can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States, even when it's not politically convenient.
AMANPOUR: The president's comments capped a frenetic few days on the campaign trail, which saw the actual candidates largely overshadowed by the man on the fence. Here's ABC's senior political correspondent Jon Karl with "This Week in Politics."
(UNKNOWN) (voice-over): My Italian mother, she told me to tell you that you've got to run for president.
KARL (voice-over): It was the most electrifying event of the campaign so far, and it involved a guy who isn't even running, at least not yet.
(UNKNOWN): We need you. Your country needs you to run for president.
KARL: It wasn't just that people were begging Chris Christie to run. It was where they were begging, on hallowed ground for Republicans, the Reagan Library.
CHRISTIE: I thank you for what you're saying, and I take it in, and I'm listening to every word of it and feeling it.
KARL: In other words, he may actually do it.
Out on the real campaign trail, it was the potential first ladies who broke through. In Iowa, Anita Perry said, for the next debate, her husband will try harder.
A. PERRY: He's going to be better prepared this time.
KARL: And Ann Romney mused about those who might not support her husband
A. ROMNEY: If they don't pick Mitt, that's their stupid mistake, not mine. So anyway...
KARL: Of course, she was joking. Get it?
And on the flip-flop watch, remember this from last week's debate?
R. PERRY: If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart.
KARL: This week, Chris Christie scolded Rick Perry about that.
CHRISTIE: I do not believe that for those people who came here illegally that we should be subsidizing with taxpayer money. That is not a heartless position. That is a commonsense position.
KARL: The next day, Perry uncharacteristically took it back.
R. PERRY: I was probably a bit over-passionate by using that word, and it was inappropriate.
M. ROMNEY: Good to see you today.
KARL: As for Mitt Romney, he invoked none other than Winston Churchill to defend his occasional flip-flop.
M. ROMNEY: In the private sector, if you don't change your view when the facts change, well, you're get fired for being stubborn and stupid. It was Winston Churchill who said, when the facts change, I change, too, madam.
KARL: Finally, Sarah Palin suggested the title "president" might simply be too limiting for her.
PALIN: Is a title and is a campaign too shackling? Does that prohibit me from being out there, out of a box, not allowing handlers to shape me?
KARL: Shackling. In other words, not maverick-y.
And trending this week, Florida, up. It's primary now January 31st. South Carolina, down, still first in the South, but now sure to be overshadowed by Florida. Rick Perry, down, looking kind of like the Red Sox -- well, not that bad. Chris Christie, up. We're not sure where, but definitely up. Ron Paul, down. The most wanted terrorist in the world is killed, and he says it's quote, "sad." Really? And Herman Cain, up, way up. A Fox News poll putting him in third place, statistically tied with Rick Perry.
With "This Week in Politics," I'm Jonathan Karl.
AMANPOUR: So a big week for businessman Herman Cain, and he joins me right now.
Thank you for being here.
CAIN: Good morning. It's my pleasure.
AMANPOUR: So you've had a pretty big high, the straw poll, all sorts of other polls. How are you going to capitalize on this? How are you going to keep this momentum up?
CAIN: First, we're going to stick with our strategy, by going to the people. As an example, the straw poll in Florida last week, which really got the attention of a lot of people -- because it differed from a lot of the other straw polls in that actual delegates were casting the straw poll. And because my win was so convincing, it caused people to take note that there's something going on out here other than how the media is portraying this being one-, two-person race. It's not just a one-, two-person race.
AMANPOUR: Let me -- let me start by asking you some of these questions.
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: You've just seen what President Obama said last night about that incident at the Florida debate, where there was booing in the audience when a gay soldier started to speak. Nobody said anything. You didn't, Rick Santorum, none of the others did. Do you wish you had said something, intervened at that moment?
CAIN: Well, the thing that's being overlooked is that, in the heat of a debate, when you have exactly 60 seconds to answer any question, you know, taking that time to try and figure out why they were booing -- I happen to think that maybe they were booing the whole "don't ask/don't tell" repeal more so than booing that soldier. But we didn't know that. So that was not the time to try and decipher, why was it they -- why were they reacting that way?
AMANPOUR: But you don't think that you probably should have said something, like, audience, you know, please, a little bit of respect?
CAIN: I did not have that luxury, because I was not in control. I was not the moderator.
AMANPOUR: In retrospect, would you have done something, given the controversy it's...
CAIN: In -- in retrospect, because of the controversy it has created and because of the different interpretations that it could have had, yes, that probably -- that would have been appropriate. But at the moment, it was not the focus of the people up there on that stage, I can assure you.
AMANPOUR: And what do you think when President Obama says this is not the people we are, we're not so small as to boo anybody, much less a soldier serving and defending this country?
CAIN: I would agree with that statement. But I would also challenge the president and his administration for the way they're going about trying to cut costs. And -- and they basically have a formula that's going to cut costs in the Defense Department. I would describe what he's doing, in terms of all of the costs in defense, as putting a bull's-eye on the back on our men and women in uniform.
AMANPOUR: Let me...
CAIN: So I could make that case.
AMANPOUR: Let me get to another question.
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: On the front page of the Washington Post today, there's a story about Rick Perry...
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: ... and a hunting lodge that belonged to his family, bought in the 1980s. And on a rock apparently near the entrance there, there is a word that is a very ugly racial word, a slur.
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: And it's been -- it's been painted over. But the report raises questions about whether this rock, this stone, with that word on it, was still on display even quite recently in the last several years. What is your reaction to that?
CAIN: My reaction is that is very insensitive. There are some words that do not basically inspire the kind of negativity like that particular word. And I know that you're refraining from saying that word, so I'm going to say what the word was on the rock. The name of the place was called "Niggerhead." That is very insensitive.
And since Governor Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place. It's just basically a case of insensitivity.
AMANPOUR: It was painted over.
CAIN: Yes. It was painted over. But how long ago was it painted over? So I'm still saying that it is a sign of insensitivity.
AMANPOUR: Let me move on to some things that you've said. Right after the debate in Florida, you told Wolf Blitzer of CNN that, basically, African-Americans, blacks in this country had been brainwashed over the years into supporting Democrats.
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: I mean, isn't that really an inflammatory thing to say? I mean, do you really believe that African-Americans, blacks, are so easily manipulated?
CAIN: I also said in that same interview...
AMANPOUR: No, but let me you ask about that. That word is very inflammatory.
CAIN: It is. I'm going to answer your question. I also said the good news is a large percentage of black people are thinking for themselves. Now, I think that -- if the word is inflammatory, that's too bad. It is true. And here's why: because some black people won't even listen to someone who appears to be a conservative or a Republican. I call that brainwashing.
AMANPOUR: Some would say that -- some would say that actually it's because those policies and what you're proposing, for instance, don't meet their demands or what they're looking for.
CAIN: And I say that the reason they don't see them as meeting their demands of what they're looking for is because they have not looked at them. My economic growth and jobs plan, as an example, is not partisan. It is a solution that benefits everybody, especially the African-American community.
AMANPOUR: Well, let me as you about that, because 999...
CAIN: Yes. Yes.
AMANPOUR: ... you talk about 9 percent corporate, 9 percent income tax, and a 9 percent national sales tax.
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: And economists are saying that that could actually disproportionately affect poorer people, African-Americans, and all sorts of poorer people.
CAIN: Ask them to do the math.
AMANPOUR: Apparently they have done the math.
CAIN: No, they have not, because I have done the math. Let me give you an actual example. If you take the median income of $50,000 a year...
AMANPOUR: But what about $20,000 a year, people who are paying less?
CAIN: If it's $20,000 or $25,000, just divide by two, OK? It started with the median income, OK? If you start with $50,000 a year, the same numbers work. You get the same conclusion if they make $25,000 a year.
Here are the actual numbers, $55,000 a year under the current system, they're going to pay approximately $10,000 in taxes. It includes the payroll tax. Now, on the 999, they're going to pay $4,500, 9 percent of $50,000. Now, if they -- that means that they an excess of about $5,500 because they're now paying $10,000.
If they paid a 9 percent sales tax on everything that they buy, which means they bought all news goods and services, they would still come out $2,000 ahead. So what I'm saying is, those economists need to do the math. They're making that assertion based upon wanting to attack it and turning it into a class warfare argument.
AMANPOUR: I want to ask you about something else that you've said. You've said -- and we're going to show a graphic -- that there's been a creeping attempt to gradually ease Sharia law and the Muslim faith into our government. And now listen to what Governor Chris Christie has said about the fear of Sharia law here in the United States.
CHRISTIE: This Sharia law business is crap. It's just crazy. And I'm tired of dealing with the crazies.
AMANPOUR: So he's saying that those kinds of fears that you espouse and others are crazy. What do you say to that?
CAIN: Call me crazy, but there are too many examples of where there has been pushback.
AMANPOUR: You don't really mean this, though, do you, Mr. Cain?
CAIN: Oh, yes, I do.
AMANPOUR: Sharia law in the United States?
CAIN: Some people would infuse Sharia law in our court system if we allow it. I honestly believe that. So even if he calls me crazy, I am going to make sure that they don't infuse it little by little by little. It's not going to be some grand scheme, little by little. So I don't mind if he calls me crazy. I'm simply saying...
AMANPOUR: You're sticking to it?
CAIN: I'm sticking to it. American laws in American courts, period.
AMANPOUR: American laws are in American courts...
CAIN: Yes.
AMANPOUR: ... so the people of this country should be safe for the moment.
CAIN: Exactly.
AMANPOUR: Let me ask you about Chris Christie jumping in. Would you support that?
CAIN: Come on down, as they say, to use Bob Barker's term. And here's why. I respect Governor Christie. He has basically distinguished himself because he's not afraid to tell like it is, like me. But he would be another person in the contest. It would still be up to the people.
It doesn't concern me in terms of what it might do to my momentum, because one thing that we've learned about people who support Herman Cain, they do not defect. They're not waiting for the next flavor of the week, to use someone else's terminology. So it wouldn't bother me a bit.
AMANPOUR: Herman Cain, thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.
CAIN: It's been my pleasure.


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When we left Jonah last week, his father, Drake, had given him a key that allowed passage through the portal to a paradise on the other side of the island. The enormity of the sacrifice Tidus had made to try and help him overwhelmed Jonah. He's taking in this new world but still doesn't know what his assignment will be. Let's join Jonah, Tidus, Drake, and Jade for the conclusion of this story.
Jonah turned in a full circle taking in the beauty surrounding him. Palm trees swayed, turquoise water lapped at the shore, birds chirped, and brilliant flowers filled the air with their sweet fragrance.
The beauty made his head spin. A large house with stone dragons guarding the entrance sat approximately one hundred yards away.
Drake stood beside Jonah. "You're home, my son. I have dreamed and hoped for this day when I could claim you. You are strong and brave. You're everything my son should be."
Jonah mumbled. "Thank you, sir."
"I will teach you our ways, and your magic will grow, just as it did with your mother. But, you will have to work hard."
"You mean like chores?" Jonah asked.
A deep rumbling laugh erupted from Drake's chest. "I guess you could put it that way."
Jade reached for Tidus' hand. "Come, my love. We have some catching up to do."
Tidus wrapped an arm around his mother's waist and they walked toward the house, heads together, speaking in low voices. The obvious love between them brought a lump to Jonah's throat. How he wished for the love of a mother, but his mother was dead and not coming back. He was happy for Tidus, though. The kid deserved to have his family again. He faced Drake.
"I'm ready. What do you have to show me?"
Drake pulled a spyglass from his coat and passed it to Jonah. "Turn around and look through this glass in the direction we came."
Jonah put the spyglass up to his eye and let out a shocked gasp. It was as if none of the rocks or brush existed and he had a clear view of the place he'd just left less than half an hour ago.
A smaller boat than the one he had refused to leave on, pulled up to the dock and dropped off a passenger. The memory of himself in that exact situation flooded Jonah. But, wait! It wasn't a male. It was a female with long flaming red hair!
He turned in confusion. "I don't understand."
"She, like you, has been banished to the island for her crimes. You will be allowed to help her, but only when she is seeking and ready. You can observe her from time-to-time but, cannot go to her until she does her part of the work."
Jonah asked. "So, I will be for her like Tidus was for me? Is she my sister? Is she one of us?"
Drake chuckled. "No, my son. She is a mere mortal trying to find her way. And, yes, you will help her. As a half-mortal, you are more able to understand and communicate. She is your first assignment."
Jonah turned back toward the girl. That moment of helplessness, fear and vulnerability he'd first felt, when he'd been in her shoes, washed over him. It was almost as if he could read her thoughts and emotions.
Drake laid a hand on his shoulder. "Remember what you've learned. She must seek inside herself for redemption and answers. In the meantime, you will become my student. And, when you are ready, you will meet the others."
"Others?" Jonah found words jumbled with thoughts and hard to form.
"Yes, Jonah. Others. We are not alone. But, all in good time. For now, let's go to the house and get you a proper bath, and clothes.
Jonah nodded and fell into step beside Drake, the powerful Wizard ― his father.
In losing everything, Jonah had found all that he sought. And so it is for us mere mortals from time to time.
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed Jonah's story. It's been a pleasure to share it with you. My intent was that maybe you'd find bits and pieces of inspiration along the way. To those of you who followed it from the beginning, thank you from the bottom of my heart!


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Dogs dazzle with bling, bows
LOS ANGELES – Sugarplum went into the salon as a reddish-blonde dachshund mix and came out with pink and green ears, a rainbow tail and a bow in her fur.
"It's like having a little unicorn creature," said Sasha Sinnott, an attorney from Pasadena, nearly giddy about her dog's makeover.
For some dog owners, simple bathing and combing is not enough. So they pay groomers to turn fur into an artist's canvas, where vibrant sweeps of chalk and paint transform pooches into fantasy fur balls that draw both compliments and strange looks. For an extra 10 or 15 minutes at the groomer, the everyday dog can get an outlandish redesign with a temporary paint tattoo, Mohawk, feather extension or glued-on jewels.
Then there are the "extreme groomers," who turn their own pets into elaborate creations such as zombies, flowers or even whole jungle scenes, transformations that can take months as hair grows, paint is applied, fur is braided or extended, and shapes are sculpted.
But there are limits to the makeover mania, which is blossoming in an unregulated industry that can leave pets open to risks. Experts say products should be toxic-free and there should be no pain involved — absolutely no piercings or real tattoos. If dogs enjoy being groomed, they shouldn't mind the extra primping, experts added, though one veterinarian said, "It's just something I would not do."
Many pet owners and industry professionals say it's a fun activity that helps person and pooch bond.
"For me, it is about a closer connection with my pets. People are now showering their pets with the amenities and affections that they would like themselves," said Lauren L. Darr, founder of the International Association of Pet Fashion Professionals.
And grooming products are getting more mainstream every day, added Darr, author of the Pet Fashion 2014 Almanac.
But a big worry for the average pet owner is a grooming industry unfettered by regulations, said Amy Bullet Brown, founder and president of the National Association of Professional Creative Groomers LLC and the owner of an Alabama dog spa.
"If a groomer wants to bathe your dog in battery acid, he can, and it's going to die, but it's not against the law," she said.
Some groomers use bleach and oxidizing dyes on pets, Brown said. Neither should be used on animal skin, which is much more susceptible to toxic chemicals than human skin, she said.
Creative grooming can be fun, but it is cosmetic only. If there is any danger, like sharp instruments, it should not be done, Brown said.
To help keep pets safe, ask a friend or a veterinarian to recommend a good groomer.
Brown is one of the "extreme groomers." The fad has become a sport of sorts — more than a dozen U.S. competitions are held every year.
Some of Brown's most photographed dog work includes a zombie, sculpted over a year to look like exposed bones and rotting flesh, and a tribute to the Alabama football team that took more than four months to make.
For the regular pet owner, birthdays are the most popular occasion for chalk-based makeovers, said Megan Mouser, groomer and PetSmart salon project manager in Phoenix. Sports team colors are also in demand.
At PetSmart, it costs $6 to chalk a dog's ears and $2 for a single streak of color on the coat. After applying a sealer, resembling hair spray, the design can last one to six days.
Eve Adamson of Iowa City, Iowa, says the trend can be beneficial. She is co-author of Animal Planet's "Complete Guide to Dog Grooming" and grooming columnist for the American Kennel Club's Family Dog magazine.
"It cheers the family up to see the pet dressed up, and you get a lot for your money," she said.
The doggie decor likely makes some people think, "That poor pooch, he must be so embarrassed." But "that's human psyche, not canine psyche," Brown said. "They don't care what color they are. If they crave attention, they will love it."


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Remember Harry Stinson's proposed 100-storey spire for the Royal Connaught? Thankfully, Valery Homes and Spallecci Group have a better idea.
In partnership with KNY Architects, these developers plan to construct a residential building that pays homage to the Royal Connaught's rich history, while retrofitting it with a new look.
The plan is to revitalize and incorporate the existing Connaught, and add three new towers. These three towers will be superimposed beside, as well as behind the Connaught, to surround the existing building. The new towers will be 36, 33, and 24 storeys, with 700 units in total.
Artist renderings show the new, more contemporary-looking towers consisting of a smoky grey glazed glass that rises up the entire height of the towers. Historical elements incorporated into the new towers, like the Connaught's large overhanging cornice and signature red brick, will accent the juxtaposing modern additions.
The new development will fill all but a corner of the block that surrounds Main and King, between John and Catherine. Access to parking for the complex will be via Catherine Street and will include two underground levels and seven above.
A seven-storey podium will also be added, that is meant to compliment the Connaught and connect the additional towers. The podium will have an accessible rooftop balcony on the eighth floor that will offer several amenities for residents of the towers. Some of the amenities listed include a theatre, fitness center, party room, and a terrace complete with cabanas and fire-pits. At ground level, the podium will offer 13 000 square feet for commercial space along King Street, Catherine Street, and Main Street.
The Royal Connaught itself will be going through some major changes. The upper floors will be reconstructed to include the eighth-floor connection to the additional three towers. The southern end of the building, a three-storey addition that contains the Grand Ball Room, will be demolished to accommodate the new towers. The Edwardian façade, with its red brick, limestone, and large arcade-style windows will remain largely untouched. Once finished, the 13-storey Connaught will consist of 135 units.
Built by Harry Frost in 1914, the Royal Connaught hotel has changed hands several times through its lifetime. It has also played host to some of the most notable visitors to ever come to Hamilton, including Pierre Trudeau and Al Capone.
Residences are said to start at around $100,000. For more information visit: www.royalconnaught.com


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Traffic camera view of contrails from Mesa, AZ, courtesy Arizona Department of Transportation. Full Resolution
This morning there were a lot of contrails evident on the GOES-16 data. Looking at the VEF 12Z 10 APR 2017 sounding (see below), conditions look good for them – lots of high-level moisture. From this, we expect most of the contrails to be in the 200-300 mb (which is around a cruising altitude of ~30,000 ft).
Of course we can't see the contrails until the sun comes up in the visible and near-IR bands. However, using the different water vapor bands, we can still see them (the improved resolution helps too!). Using this website to learn about weighting functions, we can get a general idea of the level at which the weighting function for each water vapor channel peaks. Since contrails are typically located high in the troposphere, they will appear similarly visible in all three water vapor channels. In other words, most water vapor absorption for the three water vapor channels (see weighting functions below) takes place below the level at which a typical contrail will be located. The 7.34 um channel will be slightly better than the other two water vapor channels at detecting upper level cloud features such as contrails since it is the least sensitive to water vapor absorption.
The "split-window" (10.35 – 12.3) moisture difference does an especially good job at detecting high, thin clouds such as contrails:
Once the sun does come up, we can use our other bands. In this loop, I have the Red Band (Ch 2, 0.64 um) in the top-left, the Cirrus Band (Ch 4, 1.38 um) in the top-right, and the Snow/Ice Band (Ch 5, 1.61 um) in the bottom-right. First thing I notice is that the contrails don't show up the best in the Red Band, the Cirrus band pops them the best. According to the GOES-R ABI Fact Sheet for the Cirrus Band,
The "cirrus" near-infrared band at 1.37 μm will detect very thin cirrus clouds during the day. This band is centered in a strong water vapor absorption spectral region. It does not routinely sense the lower troposphere, where there is substantial water vapor, and thus provides excellent daytime sensitivity to high, very thin cirrus under most circumstances, especially in warm, moist atmospheres.
Thus the high-clouds pop against a muted background of the lower troposphere. If you watch this loop, you can also see the contrails increase in abundance as we progress from 12Z through 1530Z. That is due to the increase in air traffice, which is confirmed with this loop (from Planefinder.net).
Thanks for reading!
Paul Iniguez (SOO-Phoenix WFO)
Post edited on 4/16 (Bill Line, NWS)
"The GOES-16 data posted on this page are preliminary, non-operational data and are undergoing testing. Users bear all responsibility for inspecting the data prior to use and for the manner in which the data are utilized."


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The Killing
· "Wife Kills Husband: Mrs. Cora Lou Vinson Fires Fatal Shot"
· "Atlanta Woman Kills Husband"
Two articles that set the stage for the "he said, she said" fight (though the "he" was dead) are below.
Daily Record, North Carolina
31 March 1922
Called Her Husband Cruel and Beat Him Frequently, at Last Ending His Life With BulletMarietta Journal, Georgia
ATLANTA, Ga. March 31 -- Mrs. Cora Lou Vinson, who was held in the county jail here, today charged with killing her husband, Dr. W. D. Vinson, who was shot to death in his office here late yesterday, had by threats forced him to deed all his property to her before they finally separated, according to a copy of his petition for divorce.
The petition charged that she had frequently threatened to kill the physician and that once she met him in a downtown drug store talking to other men and kicked him. It cited occasions where she is alleged to have attacked him with tongs, a hatchet and an umbrella. Her counter petition to the suit claimed that she had been a faithful wife and accused him of inhumane treatment.
The divorce suit was to have been heard next Monday while a suit by which Dr. Vinson sought to recover his property, he is alleged to have deeded to Mrs. Vinson, was pending, and a warrant charging Mrs. Vinson with being insane had just been settled last Tuesday by a lunacy commission refusing to send her to the asylum...
Dr. Vinson was shot while writing prescriptions in his office in the rear of a drug store, one shot being fired before he knew his wife was in the room,...a clerk in the drug store told the police that after the doctor fell from the chair to the floor with his face towards Mrs. Vinson, she fired three more shots directly into his face and walked out of the drug store to a waiting taxicab.
Dr. Vinson, who was 65 years old, died shortly after being shot without having regained consciousness. His wife is 44 years old.
6 April 1922
DR. VINSON SHOT BY WIFE; DIES IN ATLANTA THURSDAYTomorrow: "She Said."
Both Dr. and Mrs. Vinson are well known in Marietta and by Cobb County People
Marietta and Cobb county people, who know both members of the Dr. Vinson family, were shocked to learn of the tragic death of the doctor in Atlanta last Thursday. The following extract is taken from Friday's Constitution:
Dr. W. D. Vinson, 65 years old, was shot four times by his wife, Mrs. Cora Lou Vinson from whom he had been separated for several years, at 4:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon while he was writing prescriptions in his office located in the rear of Pierce's drug store, 790 Marietta street, and died an hour later at the Grady hospital as the result of the bullets, all of which entered his head. Mrs. Vinson is being held at the Fulton county jail, without bond, charged with murder...
Dr. Vinson came to Atlanta nearly half a century ago from Roswell, where he was born and raised. He comes of a family of well-known physicians.
He is survived by three sons, Dr. T. D. Vinson, W. B. Vinson, and Master Louis Vinson; two daughters, Mrs. Fred Brown and Miss Ruby Vinson; a sister, Mrs. Fannie Robinson; and four brothers, Dr. George Vinson, of Marietta; Dr. Sam Vinson, of south Georgia; and Luther and John Vinson.
Funeral services will be held from St. James church at 2:30 o'clock Sunday and Atlanta Lodge F. & A. M., No. 59, will have charge of the funeral. Interment will be in West View.