Yesterday was full of medical procedures and appointments. It began with a PET-scan and blood draws before noon, followed by a review session with the radiologist, and finished with a visit with my oncologist, who reviewed the PET-scan results with me. The PET-scan revealed a few improvements, including shrinking in the sizes and/or “brightness” of the SUVs (standard uptake values) of some of the cancer lesions. On the negative side, the lesions on my T-10 and T-3 vertebrae has worsened, but not so much that I should be concerned about it (according to the doctor). Radiation therapy continues to work for a period after treatments, so the scabs if the vertebrae may improve with a little more time. Overall, the oncologist said she was “pleased with the results,” though the ultimate outcome of the disease remains the same. She referred me back to a pulmonologist with whom mi novia and I have had something of a love-hate relationship, thanks to various of his mannerisms. I give him a pass because of his Middle Eastern cultural upbringing; mi novia is a little less forgiving than I, but she’s making progress. Having delayed my pain medications in preparation for yesterday’s PET-scan, I am trying to recover a tolerable pain level as quickly as I can. Pain is just part of the process; one of several elements of the disease I find objectionable.
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I watched an interesting and informative YouTube video this morning, entitled What If We Detonated All Nuclear Bombs at Once? The seven-minute video’s assertions are based on a number of unproven (but, I think, reasonably likely) assumptions. The bottom line: the planet would recover from the horror after a few million years, but our species would become extinct, very quickly. The unfortunate likelihood, I think, is that extinction probably would not be instant instantaneous. All sentient creatures left alive after the blast would die an excruciating death. On the positive side, though, the extinction would consolidate suffering in a relatively brief window of time. Though suffering would be intense, it would be short-lived. Depending on your point of view, if I had the capability to cause all nuclear weapons to be exploded simultaneously, I either should exercise that ability or I should be neutralized. Either way works for me. The other option would be to render impossible the creation of nuclear weapons…but the cat’s been let out of the bag already, so some enterprising scientist would become a magician, turning magic into reality.
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National and world news enterprises continue their collusion with illegitimate governments to make life a living hell for people worldwide. I wish the power to inform—that leaders of these institutions have at their disposal—would be used to render impotent the authoritarians, despots, dictators, and those like them. My moral principles in relation to this wish are not pure, but I believe intense consideration and contemplation would lead to the conclusion that those principles—and the actions taken to achieve them—represent the epitome of practical morality. I have mentioned my loathing of genocide many times but, to clarify, my definition of genocide excludes the deliberate and systematic extermination of groups on the basis of the danger those groups pose to others as a result of the groups’ heinous philosophies. I know, I know. My philosophy is impossible to justify without first adjusting one’s beliefs about the legitimacy of certain impermissible thoughts or actions. I have successfully adjusted my beliefs to accommodate my philosophy.
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If we were to fully embrace negativism about humankind’s ability to recover from its growing list of stupidity and indiscretions, the only reasonable option would be self-imposed mass extinction. And we would be unable to suggest morbid solutions built on a base of black humor and nearly-blind hope. So, we have a choice: either succumb to despair or refuse to give in…instead, clinging to tattered shreds of optimism fueled by vengeance. But there must be another way…yes?
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