The Astroprison Chronicles

Speed Typing

2008-06-27T21:00:02Z

Tech Writer Geekery: I just wrote an entire service manual for a new product, in less than half an hour.

Rest of the Story: OK, so there are no user serviceable parts, and the complete body of instructions is two paragraphs on how to send it back to us when it's broken. But technically, it was the entire manual in under 30 minutes...

Meme Time: I'll bite:

2008-06-27T19:47:25Z

Post 3 things you’ve done in your lifetime that you don’t think anybody else on your friends list has done.

See if anybody else responds with “I’ve done that.”

Have your friends cut & paste this into their journal to see what unique things they’ve done in their life.

OK...

Was backstage crew in a community theater play where one of the smallest ~~rolls~~roles was played by a then-20 year old kid named Bruce Willis.

Been in a terrorist attack (bombing in a marketplace).

Vomited on three of the most holy sites on the earth (Wailing Wall, Dome of the Rock, and Church of the Holy Sepulcher) within a 90-minute period.

(P.S. When in Bethlehem, don't eat the potato salad. 'kay?)

Edit: Thank you to daddygod for noting the typo. As I recall, he was playing a palace guard, not a bisquit.

Another loss

2008-06-27T13:36:19Z

Gary R. Widger Jr

I only met Gary once, briefly, a dozen years ago...his mother, once (same time I met Gary), his father a couple of times. His grandparents I know better, but it's his Aunt Debbie I know best in the family. (It was through her that I met Gary and his mother that one time, she was up in Massachusetts catching up on old friends after the death of her husband. But I digress.)

I can only imagine their pain.

Useless trivia: Chris is also closely related (cousin, I think...) to this guy.

I gotta stop reading the obits. I'm seeing too many familiar names.

VICTORY!

2008-06-26T15:35:59Z

Justices Rule for Individual Gun Rights

On a very quick read, it seems to be much of what was expected. A 5-4 vote, a ruling for individual rights. It doesn't sweep away all gun control laws, as some would have hoped.

But now we've got the foundation. No more "collective rights" justifications. No more "National guard is the militia" justification.

The Supreme Court of the United States of America has ruled that I have a right to own a firearm, and that right is equal in rank to my 1st Amendment protected right to say so.

Of course, not all agree.

Quote:
A dissent by Justice John Paul Stevens asserted that the majority "would have us believe that over 200 years ago, the framers made a choice to limit the tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate civilian uses of weapons.”

Yes Justice Stevens, that is exactly what the framers had in mind. The Second Amendment (along with the other nine articles in the Bill of Rights) are expressly intended to limit the powers of the government.

Let me repeat that: Expressly intended to limit the powers of government.

Justice Stevens, if you do not understand that basic concept of the Constitution, I have to question your qualifications for the office that you hold.

Nidan...take two.

2008-06-26T02:50:22Z

I recieved official notice this evening that I will be testing for 2nd Degree Black Belt on Sunday, July 13. The test commences at 10:30 AM local time. This is in effect a re-test for the one I was taking when I wrecked my ankle nearly two years ago. The ankle...not perfect, but it's as healed as it's ever going to be.

Between now and then? Lots and lots of practice. In addition to the regularly scheduled classes, I'm going to need to do extra work on my own every day.

I need to have a ton of techniques ready, and sharp. I've got to run through them in sequence so that during the test when the senseis bark out "Another technique...another...another....another" rapid fire, I can respond by reflex and show what I've got.

I have almost 20 open-hand forms that they could ask me to do, and roughly half a dozen weapons forms.

Plus the endurance testing...suddenly I'm glad I've been doing 20-ish mile bike rides for the past couple of weeks.

Yeah...it's gonna be intense.

Is it really a ripoff if you're stealing from youself?

2008-06-25T16:55:50Z

Lack of Originality

On the other hand, there is no more SAC, why not recycle the design?

(Nah, I suppose if I was still at Hanscom, I wouldn't like it either.)

A teacher passes

2008-06-25T13:28:51Z

Obituary in the old home town newspaper:

Mary Ann Theresa Mason

We knew her as "Miss Martell" in those days, she was the high school Spanish teacher since...well, forever, I think. I say that and it paints a picture of an older woman, and nothing could be farther from the truth. She was about a decade older than the people in my graduating class...old enough to require the respect of an adult, still young enough to connect.

Although I didn't take Spanish, everybody knew Miss Martell. She was happy, funny, bouncy. Her students loved her. The boys often felt that they could pull a fast one on her, but in retrospect...maybe she was the one in control all along.

It was a more or less open secret that she was in a romantic relationship with one of the other teachers in the high school...the relationship had started long before my freshman year, and from what I'd heard continued afterward as well. Second-hand information from "a reliable source" (my mother worked in the school for a few years) was that Miss Martell's friends were always telling her that she should dump him and move on, that it would never work out for her, that she should find a new guy...

In addition to her mother, Mrs. Mason is survived by her husband, Claiborne Hodges Mason...

Or then again, maybe not. Sometimes, timing is everything.

My condolences go out to Mr. Mason, my print shop teacher.

Really bad pictures of decaying old mental hospital buildings

2008-06-23T18:59:52Z

This is mainly for crabbyolbastard.

There are three or four decrepit old frame structures on the edge of the Tewksbury State Hospital grounds in Tewksbury, MA. I have no idea if these are of any photographic interest, but...it's free to post the info here and let you decide. (Bit of a trip from your location, though.)

I don't know if you're familiar with the hospital location.

Here's the official website.

Here's an unofficial website, of interest because if you scroll down a bit you'll see a chunk of a topographical map. On the map, the road farthest to the east (runs roughly NW to SE) has black dot indicators for structures just a bit more than halfway down the road...those are the houses (and the road is Livingston Ave, if you're checking.)

Here are some crummy quality cell phone pictures of the buildings, but at least you get the idea:

Sometimes a procuct name says everything you need to know.

2008-06-22T21:44:12Z

Yesterday, we went to the local garden shop to pick up some things for the tomato plants.

I spotted some bags of...how shall I say...bovine originated organic fertilizer.

Now that's a self-explanatory product name.

Happy birthday to...

2008-06-22T16:57:08Z

...actress Mary Lynn Rasjkub!

Who can go to China now?

2008-06-21T12:05:07Z

Sadly, this question has nothing to do with a possible trip to the Olympics, but instead deals with politics. I know this question will make several of my friends (both on LJ and in real life) uncomfortable.

The attribution in Star Trek VI aside, there has long been a political truism stated as "Only Nixon could go to China." In other words, a major controversial political initiative can only be successfully accomplished by a leader who has percieved leanings opposite of those required for the initiative.

Only a leader with a reputation for staunch anti-communism (like Nixon had) could travel to Beijing and open relations. Only a leader known as a liberal (like Bill Clinton) could successfully enact a major overhaul of the welfare system. Only a leader who had ordered massive US military action (like George H.W. Bush was after Desert Storm) could introduce massive post-Cold war military force reductions. (Conservatives like to blame Bill Clinton for the cuts, but the truth is they were put in place by Bush '41...but I digress.)

The examples aren't just limited to the US: analysts recognize that the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt could only been palatable in Israel when introduced by the type of hard-right Prime Minister that Menachem Begin was.

The reason is simple politics: in a system where the lawmaking body is made up of groups that take opposite sides of a particular issue, infighting takes over. In our political system, the polar positions on each issue were long ago cemented, and now almost by reflex when one party makes a proposal the other party screams "Wrongy-wrong wrong!" without even understanding why.

Actually, my last words in the previous paragraph are untrue: the politicians understand why they do it, and the reason they do it is to keep the political base...those who vote and more importantly those who donate money...whipped up, happy, and signing checks.

I'll say it again: A major controversial political initiative can only be successfully accomplished by a leader who has percieved leanings opposite of those required for the initiative. In order for the change to pass muster with both political sides in our country, a leader has to essentially say "Y'know, I've been thinking about this for a long time and I've realized the other side is right on this one. We have to do this, just like the other side suggests, because it's the right thing to do." The leader's own party will line up in support, and the opposition will essentially say "Hey, it's about time!" And the result? Progress.

Only Nixon could go to China.

And that, at last, brings me to the unpleasant reality that very few people have yet realized and will make some of my friends unhappy.

Despite his pledge and sincere intent to do so, the political reality is that "Only President Obama cannot go to Iran."

Oh, he can go. He can sit down and talk to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad all day long, discuss anything he wants, work any deal. He could make a trip to Teheran and come back with the best damn international treaty the world has ever seen.

But the deal will be politically dead on arrival the minute Air Force One touches down at Andrews AFB. And why? Because the perception today is that he'd give too much up. The perception may be untrue, but the perception can't be ignored.

Here's another way of saying it:

If Vice President Cheney shocked the world and said he was going to negotiate with Ahmadinejad, there would probably be a few people grumbling on the right... but there wouldn't be too much worry that Cheney would be taking a soft accomodationist stance. If Cheney came away from the meeting with a deal, it would be tough for his critics to argue, "well, what do you expect from such a dovish, instinctively compromising, squish?"

Strauss & Howe contend that during the "crisis" portion of the cycle, it becomes more possible to look at political decisions and alignments and say "This may look like a good idea now, but it has the potential to turn out very very badly." Amont other examples, they cite the political compromises in the 1850s that made the US Civil War just about unavoidable. They sure seemed like a bright idea at the time, though...

It's worth pondering that we may be only a few months away from electing almost the only US politician who is almost certainly doomed to failure when it comes to negotiating with Iran...and it's possible that the biggest reason why he's doomed is only because he's said he wants to do it.

Like any President, Obama's options would really be limited to those that are the opposite of what we percieve as his positions. The percieved position is that he wants to talk peace. The opposite of that action?

It is ironic to think that some long-distant Star Trek movie sequel might include the line "There is an old Vulcan expression: 'Only Obama could nuke Iran'."

Want to solve a problem? Listen to what the people are saying.

2008-06-19T15:18:48Z

Here's a story that has been unfolding for the past couple of weeks.

A local high school experienced a sharp spike in teen pregnancies in the high school. Typically they'd have four or five each school year, but this past school year there were seventeen.

The uproar lead to the resignation of two top health officials in the school. They favored the confidential distribution of contraceptives to students. They quit following resistance from a local hospital.

Now, it turns out that the pregnancies weren't all accidents:

Report: Gloucester Teens Had Pact To Get Pregnant

The most significant quote? The one at the end of the story:

A recent graduate who had a baby during her freshman year told Time she knows why the girls wanted to get pregnant.

"They're so excited to finally have someone to love them unconditionally," Amanda Ireland, 18, said.

Ding...

And it isn't just limited to the girls in the pact. Ex-social worker speaking here: Many teenage girls have babies because they feel as though no one loves them, and look for a baby to express unconditional love.

Passing out contraceptives may be a good idea, but it isn't going to solve the problem because girls in that situation want to become pregnant. It's not an accident.

You want to reduce teen pregnancy? Solve that problem of love.

Subject line from today's spam messages.

2008-06-14T22:38:23Z

I'm scanning down the list, deleting spam messages, when this one jumps out at me:

Never Scrub your toilet bowl again.

Well....OK. If you say so. Your wish is my command.

(There. Now I've got an excuse.)

BSG

2008-06-14T03:16:35Z

Well.

That was unexpected. And it flushes one of my theories down the toilet.

I'm evil.

2008-06-13T17:33:56Z

Setting: the lunch room, at work.

Picture ~~five~~seven men, sitting around a medium sized round table. Between the size of the table and the size of the men, it's a tight fit.

After while, two men got up and left. As it turns out, they had been sitting next to each other, and were sitting across from me.

Nobody else moves.

Now we've got five guys at the table, all bunched together, with an open space across from me.

We continue eating for several minutes. Finally the guy sitting next to me says "It's awfully cozy here."

I don't know what came over me, but I just dropped my voice an octave, and let out a breathy, sensual "Yeahhhhhhh!........"

I have never in my life seen four men scoot clear around a table as fast as they did.

When you're wrong, you're wrong.

2008-06-07T22:21:57Z

I've been saying for months that Sen. Clinton would not drop out of the race before the convention in Denver. I've lost track of the amount of times I've said that.

Today, of course, she dropped out.

Well, I was wrong.

Whew...that's a relief.

2008-06-03T22:50:07Z

Presentation is over, and it was a success. Those seats shown in the previous post? There were butts sitting in just about every one of them. The room holds something like 80 people, and I'd guess it was about three quarters full. Now toss in that this was the last education time period at the end of a very long day, and that shortly the society's "Honors and Awards" banquet starts (so a lot of people head out early to get cleaned and dressed for the affair), and I'd say that 50-60 people in the room was excellent. I was attending sessions earlier in the day that had maybe two dozen people in rooms twice the size of the one they assigned to me.

I held their interest for the full hour, there were lots of questions, and lots of supportive comments from people in the audience who had experience in this area. (The subject matter was Writing for the Defense and Security, and dealt mainly with the process of doing business with the Federal government.)

One woman came up to me afterward and said that I'd finally provided a clear explanation for a lot of the problems she'd been having in dealing with the government, and now she understood why things happened the way they did.

I even had one woman come up at the beginning of the program, she'd just bought a copy of my book and she asked me to autograph it.

I am pleased.

Countdown...

2008-06-03T19:08:18Z

In about 90 minutes, I'll be standing right there, looking out across this room, getting ready to give the presentation.

If it looks that empty at 4:30, I'll be a very unhappy person.

I had forgotten this for a long time...but tonight the memory came back.

2008-06-03T03:20:59Z

It's common knowledge that the title of Sen. Obama's book The Audacity of Hope is based upon the title of a sermon by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. What I did not know until this evening is that Rev. Wright titled his sermon in reference to a painting by George Frederic Watts.

My grandmother had a copy of that painting hanging up near the stairs in the house where they lived when I was a child. It was somewhat faded so the colors were muted, but given the nature of the painting that seemed to add to the despair and gloom of the painting. I saw a woman alone, down to her last string on the harp, apparently alone and desolate in some misty blue void. I kept thinking that all she had left was that one last string...and when that broke, she'd have nothing at all.

I had completely forgotten the picture many long years ago, at least until this evening when reading a news article about Sen. Obama pulled it out of my mind.

Wow.

2008-06-01T18:07:49Z

It's going to be ugly in Denver.

Dumb Question...

2008-05-30T21:12:29Z

This story is in today's news cycle:

Outspoken priest caught on video ranting about Hillary at Obama's church

Quote:
WASHINGTON -- The Rev. Michael Pfleger mocked Sen. Hillary Clinton from the pulpit of Trinity United Church of Christ -- earning him a reprimand Thursday from Sen. Barack Obama as his comments threaten to resurrect the politically radioactive Rev. Jeremiah Wright as a campaign issue.

There's a video clip on the website, and Rev. Pfleger's comments about Sen. Clinton start at about the 1:35 mark.

But the part that no one is paying attention to is the beginning, where Rev. Pfleger addresses the issue of reparations. His comments start at about the 40 second mark, and continue to about the 1:30 mark. Rev. Pfleger dismisses the claim that present-day whites cannot be held responsible for what their ancestors did, because present-day whites derive present-day benefits from their ancestors actions.

This always gives me pause, because:

My maternal grandmother was born in the US in the 1890s, from parents who came to the US from Sweden in the 1880s.

My maternal grandfather was born in the US in the 1890s, from parents who came to the US from Germany in the 1880s.

My father's side of the family has been in this country since the 1600s, but up until the late 19th century they were Quakers. Not only were they opposed to slavery, but family tradition holds that they may have been involved in the underground railroad (I've seen some of the hiding places.)

So, with half of my ancestors in Europe until after slavery ended in this country, and the other half morally and actively opposed to it in this country...how much did my ancestors benefit?

Why should I owe?

I'm confused. Who is winning?

2008-05-30T13:48:36Z

This item is in the news today:

Top Dems to push for swift end to primary race

Quote:
WASHINGTON - Top Democratic leaders intend to push for a quick end to the battle for the presidential nomination when primaries are over next week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday, adding that he, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and party chairman Howard Dean will urge uncommitted delegates to choose sides.

We've been hearing that story for weeks now, along with the repeated news that Sen. Obama has the nomination all locked up, the repeated news that Sen. Clinton doesn't stand a chance, and the repeated opinion that Sen. Clinton should quit.

Now I'm not sayin' that the news is biased in favor of Sen. Obama, but...the chorus for weeks has been quite loud on that last point. Sen. Clinton is supposed to quit. Sen. Clinton can't possibly win. Sen. Obama has this all wrapped up, and Sen. Clinton's ego is damaging the Democratic party.

But buried a few paragraphs down in the news is this (emphasis added)
Tantalizingly close to the nomination, Obama stands to gain a minimum of roughly 20 delegates in remaining primaries in Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota under party rules that distribute them proportional to the popular vote — even if he loses all three. He would need to enlist the support of uncommitted superdelegates to amass the rest.

And what happens if he loses all three but the uncommitted superdelegates don't go for him?

Now I realize the odds are against it. On the other hand, it isn't impossible that Sen. Obama might lose the three races, and not get any further superdelegate support. Unlikely, but not impossible. But in politics, one must never discount the impossible.

If I can figure that out, why can't the people in the media and the party who have been calling for Sen. Clinton to quit?

Oh...maybe they did...and that's why they're calling for her to quit.

Might the "Olympic Curse" strike yet a third time?

2008-05-28T19:22:44Z

Parents’ Grief Turns to Rage at Chinese Officials

Quote:
Parents of the estimated 10,000 children who lost their lives in the quake have grown so enraged about collapsed schools that they have overcome their usual caution about confronting Communist Party officials.

In 1936, Nazi Germany hosted the summer Olympic games. About ten years later, that dictatorship came down.

In 1980, the USSR hosted the summer Olympic games. About ten years later, that dictatorship came down.

In 2008, the People's Republic of China is hosting the summer Olympic games. Ten years from now.....?

The earthquake is the source of the outrage, the timing of the Olympics thus is a coincidence.

But that doesn't mean the outcome won't be the same.

Lester the Nightfly turns 10

2008-05-28T15:16:02Z

Hey kosmo, recall that case of wine you brought up when you were here? As a car lover, you may appreciate this.

We noticed one of the bottles was a vintage 1998, and decided to hold it until May '08...the 10th anniversary of the manufacture of our VW New Beetle.

Last weekend, we had a little celebration for the car. Ten years, still looks and runs like new.

Sydney Pollack, and the life he helped save

2008-05-27T20:23:36Z

Some of you have heard this story before, but it comes to mind again today with the passing of director Sydney Pollack.

In the tributes today, nearly everyone will cite his movie Tootsie or Out of Africa. A few might mention his appearance in Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick's final film).

I will always and forever associate Sydney Pollack's name with the first feature-length film he directed, The Slender Thread.

The movie came out in 1965. I don't recall when I saw it...but it was on TV, I'm guessing late '60s. It made quite an impression on me, I know that by the summer of 1974, my viewing of it had already been a few years previous (long enough that in those pre-IMDB days that except for Sidney Portier I couldn't recall the name of the film nor the names of the cast, just the plot).

Of course, it all came back much more clearly the day I lived the movie.

In the summer of 1974, I was in my late teens, and had just finished my first year in college. I was studying broadcasting, I was gonna be a big time broadcast journalist. I got a summer job at the local radio station. The station was a "daytimer," an AM radio only licensed to operate while the sun is up. During the summer they've got a longer broadcast day, so typically they'd hire temporary help to fill in the few extra hours of air time. That year, the temporary help was me.

My day was simple: come in, take over for the drive-time DJ and play disks for a couple of hours until sundown. Then I'd sign the station off, and move over to the gospel FM station run by the same company, and play the tapes of radio preachers until the FM signoff time of about 11:00 PM.

One day I came to work, and as I was doing the crossover with the AM DJ, I asked if there was anything unusual going on. He said there was one odd thing...he'd gotten a call from a woman who wanted to give away a dog. The odd part of it was that she wouldn't give her name, or address, or phone number. "If somebody calls to take the dog, announce it on the air and the woman will call in with info on how to get it" said the DJ.

Weird, but...well, ya get a lot of weirdos calling radio stations.

I'd been on the air for a few minutes and was looking for something to say during a break, so...what the heck, I read the announcement about the dog, and thought little of it.

A few minutes later, our request line rang. I answered, in fact by this time I was the only person left in the building.

"WJIC, Jersey Information Center...what can I play for you?"

The woman's voice at the other end of the line was slow, sounding like my call had just roused her from a deep sleep. Of course, that was impossible, she was the one who called me. "No request, I just wanted to thank you for announcing my dog. He's a good dog, he needs a good home."

"I'll keep announcing it, but we haven't had any interest yet. But I'm confused, there doesn't seem to be any way for someone to get in touch with you. Can I have your name and phone number?"

"No. When you have someone who wants the dog, you announce it on the air. I'm listening. I'll call you."

"OK. Do you mind if I ask why you're giving the dog away?"

"I'm dying."

It didn't take more than those two words for the ice water to run down my spine. Drowsy voice, reluctant to give out personal information, trying to wrap things up...yeah, she's dying. By her own hand.

I had absolutely no training on how to deal with this, no background, no information, no resources. All I had was a recollection of a ten-year old movie, and the hope that what had worked in a script might actually work in real life.

What did Sidney Portier do? Keep her on the line. Keep her talking. Try to find out what she took. Try to get the line traced. Try, try, try to find out where she is. Try to get someone out to her.

Try not to panic.

We talked for a few minutes, and then she said she had to go. She hung up.

My first call was to the phone company, I told them I'd need a trace on a call. The phone company said that this wasn't possible without a police order. My second call was to the police, they said the chief was the only one who could authorize a trace...and he'd gone home for the day. And no, they weren't going to disturb him at home.

I tried something. I went on the air again, and repeated the announcement about the dog. I hoped that maybe she was still listening...

The phone rang.

"Hi, thanks for announcing that again."

So we talked about the dog for a few minutes, until she said she had to go.

This time, after I hung up, a call came in to me. It was the local suicide hotline, and she had called there as well. Apparently she mentioned talking to me. They also had no idea where she was or who she was. All we knew was that she was somewhere within the radio station's reception area. Until that day, I'd thought the 250-watt signal didn't carry very far, but that was before I thought about what it would be like to search the entire circle for one lonely, dying woman. By comparison, a needle in a haystack would be child's play.

Over the course of the next hour and a half, the routine would repeat itself several times. We'd talk, she'd hang up. I'd wait a few minutes, announce the dog...she'd call back. We'd talk some more, then she'd hang up.

In the meantime, I'd try to coordinate with the suicide hotline but they didn't know any more than I did. Apparently she was more willing to talk to me instead of them.

I'd talk to her about anything I could think of. I'd just try to keep her awake. I'd ask her what she wanted to hear, and I'd play it for her. The station's playlist format was long gone out the window, I was just grabbing records off a stack and slapping down on a turntable whatever was within reach.

But it was a losing battle. The calls were getting shorter, and with every call I could hear that she was sliding away. Each time she sounded more drowsy, each time the pauses in her speech were longer and longer.

Pray for a miracle, and sometimes one will come.

I hadn't heard from her in a while. I grabbed the next record in the stack, a long-since forgotten release called Please Come to Boston by Dave Loggins. I announced the lost dog again. I waited.

The phone rang.

"Hey, so you're still listening" I said. "How are you feeling?"

"OK."

"Do you like this song?"

"It's OK."

"I kinda like it. I'm going to college in Boston, I'll be going back in the fall. It reminds me of Boston."

"Oh."

Long pause.

"I have a sister in Boston" she said.

"You do? Where in Boston?"

She named a town, and talked about the sister for a bit.

"She sounds like a nice person" I said. "I'd like to meet her some day. I won't be too far from where she lives. Do you have a phone number for her?"

"Yeah...just a minute..."

She gave me the number.

She gave me the number.

Part of me said to hang up and dial the number right there. Another, wiser part said "Keep talking." I did, but a few minutes later I think she realized what she'd done. "Just...just forget everything I told you" she said as she hung up.

The dial tone was barely back when I was already calling the Massachusetts number. It seemed to ring forever, but a woman answered...apologizing, she'd just come in the door.

"This is going to sound like a prank call, but please listen. I'm calling from Salem, New Jersey. I've been talking to a woman who says she's your sister, and I think she's trying to kill herself. I think she's taken an overdose of drugs. We don't know where she is, and we can't get help to her."

The silence seemed to last forever, and I was certain she was going to hang up.

"I have a sister in Salem. She's a 30 year old single mother, she just had a mastectomy, and she's very depressed. I believe you."

She gave me the address and phone number.

I called the suicide hotline, I gave them the information, and they called the emergency squad.

The ambulance got there in time. Just barely.

Later, I was told that when the paramedics came through the door, she was slumped over the kitchen table. She was just able to raise her head. All she could say was "How did you find me? I didn't think that anyone cared."

I wondered if I should go see her in the hospital, but somehow it seemed wrong to violate her privacy. I wasn't sure what to do, and I asked the pastor who was running the suicide hotline. I told him what I was thinking...

"I think you've made the right decision. She knows you care. But she doesn't want to be a spectacle."

That's what I thought. And Sidney Portier didn't go visit Anne Bancroft, either.

The Slender Thread was well-crafted enough to make an impression on me, and I know that the impression was strong enough to give me a sense of direction, an idea of what to do during those hours when I hung on the phone and listened to her breathing get slower and slower. I just kept thinking of Portier's character, and what he'd done.

This was a small story that did not receive (and should not have received) publicity. Sydney Pollack could not possibly have ever heard the story, and thus could not possibly ever have known how he helped save a woman's life that day.

Maybe today, somewhere, he's learning the details for the first time.