At times there are six worthy stories. At other times there are not. Just use the best. That might mean four one day, six the next. Triage, Jim. You are doing great.
4 to 6 is great. Will leave it up to you to pick the best. LOVE the new format. I can read the ones that really hook me, but i still get the important info on the others.
I selected 6 stories, but I would really like to leave the number to your discretion, based on what you feel is important to share. I really like the summaries with the option of reading the entire article. Thank you very much for all your efforts!!! Joan Cummins, Dublin, OH
I happen to think that you need to make this Newsletter YOUR Newsletter by choosing to share what YOU think is worth sharing, and not necessarily more political opinion. I think it would be nice if you share anything and everything that you have LEARNED during your life that can benefit any reader. That is what I would love to see you do with this Newsletter.
For example, I have a friend who has made a decision on cancer treatment and the Longevity outcome of their choice is the same whether it was to get the cancer removed by surgery or removed it with radiation. They have been silent during this process, so I thought it beneficial to point out this:
Do you know the reason WHY loneliness is such a killer and also leaves people at strong risk of dementia?
Loneliness is considered both a significant health risk comparable to mortality factors like obesity and a potential cause of dementia.
As a Killer: The U.S. Surgeon General has declared loneliness a profound public health challenge, noting that it can decrease life expectancy by as much as 30 percent, making it as deadly as obesity and drug abuse.
As a Cause of Dementia: Extensive research confirms loneliness is an independent risk factor for dementia, increasing risk by approximately 40% overall. It is associated with a 14% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 17% increased risk of vascular dementia, with effects comparable to physical inactivity or smoking.
Mechanisms: Loneliness may accelerate dementia through chronic stress, neuroendocrine activation, and early neuropathological changes such as reduced cerebral volume and white matter injury, particularly in adults under 80.
In other words, LONELINESS is a TOXIC emotion that is a killer of those who feel it and a cause or accelerator of dementia.
What if you NEVER feel lonely?
Then you are good to go because you are not having chronic, toxic stress even though you are alone (which is me)!
Is chronic worry after you have been treated for cancer, such as having an operation to remove it or undergoing radiation, similar to the toxic result of chronic stress over lonliness?
Yes, chronic worry after cancer treatment (often called Fear of Cancer Recurrence or FCR) creates a toxic physiological state similar to the chronic stress caused by loneliness, though the triggers differ.
Shared Biological Toxicity: Both conditions trigger a sustained "fight or flight" response, flooding the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This chronic state leads to:
Immune Suppression: Just as loneliness weakens immune defense, persistent post-treatment worry impairs immune surveillance, which is critical for preventing cancer recurrence. Research indicates that psychological stress can biologically impact tumor progression and metastasis.
Inflammation: Both states promote systemic inflammation, a known driver for various chronic diseases and potentially cancer progression.
Mortality Risk: Persistent psychological distress in survivors is associated with a 1.2 to 1.5-fold increased risk of mortality. Survivors with persistent depression or anxiety show worse survival outcomes compared to those who recover emotionally.
The Vicious Cycle: Unlike general stress, FCR is often triggered by normal bodily sensations, creating a feedback loop where worry amplifies physical symptoms, which in turn increases worry. This mirrors how loneliness heightens sensitivity to social threats.
Studies show FCR is positively correlated with loneliness; patients who feel isolated experience higher fear of progression, suggesting the two toxins often compound each other.
High levels of FCR can lead to social isolation (withdrawing from activities due to fear), effectively creating loneliness where there was none, thereby doubling the toxic load.
Distinct but Comparable: While cancer itself is a cellular disease, the chronic worry surrounding it acts as a distinct, powerful stressor that can degrade health outcomes independently. Experts note that the biological impact of this psychological fear can be "no less important than real physiological tissue damage" in terms of suppressing immune competence during critical recovery periods.
In other words, you must accept after you have finished the radiation treatments or after surgery to remove the prostate cancer that your result is just as good with either treatment, and with the same outcome in longevity!
You understand, you have to put thoughts of that cancer behind you, like I did with my cancer treatment. You've made an EXCELLENT decision AND it is most likely the last thing you'll need to worry about after the radiation, or surgery, so you'll need to Believe it is just as good as another treatment with Longevity outcomes is the SAME.
After the treatment, stop worrying forever! Accept you made a very smart decision to made, and trust the result and stop worrying forever, and you can begin being stress free about it now while being treated, if you ever do feel upset over the fact you got it!!!
Jim, I am sure you are full of experiences you can share to help all the people who read your Newsletter and for me, sharing to help others live and learn and benefit from your life of experience is what I would love to read about! I have my own group & I always try to share whatever it is that I think will benefit people to know. We all have to Live and Learn.
Thank you for taking this newsletter on and Please, Now, Make it YOUR Own!!
I have really appreciated your efforts to summarize the stories presented, and look forward to at least reading the summaries when they arrive and when time and interest are present go back to read the full story. In short, I like what you are doing and with this new approach and would leave up to you the number of stories and topics that you think should be presented. Great job, and very much appreciated!
Kathleen, thanks for the comment. Here’s a cool fact: MOST PEOPLE JUST READ THE SUMMARIES!
That tells me they’re doing exactly what they were intended to do: save you time while keeping you informed.
Know what I do when I’m faced with a long essay? I copy and paste it into AI and ask for a summary. Then I decide whether the full article is worth my time.
That’s really the whole idea behind the newsletter. You can scan the summaries, know what’s going on, and dig deeper only when something grabs you.
Time is our scarce resource. I’m trying to give some of it back to you.
Russ, this is what one calls a full-throated response.
And I am absolutely, 100% FOR free speech in all its forms.
We can never go back to any version of the censorship we experienced during the COVID hysteria. I couldn’t believe what I was watching at the time, and I still have a hard time understanding how millions of people simply went along with it.
People were told which questions could be asked, which opinions were acceptable, and which voices should be silenced. Whatever one believed about COVID itself, that should trouble everyone.
Free speech matters most when the speech is unpopular, irritating, or challenges the prevailing consensus. Otherwise, it isn’t much of a principle.
It was really unbelievable. I am concerned with the broken trust between now between " the authorities" and the rest if us. When the next COVID arises, who is going to believe in what they tell us to do?
Some further thoughts: This certainly isn't a "labor of love". You're spending a significant amount of time on this and unless there is a major financial return, it would seem to be difficult to continue. But your audience appreciates your contributions to national sanity. Which suggests a balance of some sort. If you feel up to 6 stories, so be it. Or simply vary the output according to your available time, or supply of articles. In any event, whatever your decision, I appreciate your efforts.
Bill, I appreciate your thoughts. Recall, I’m a master software programmer, and I’ve automated much of what Rip did by hand. I’m not saying it’s easy, but I’ve taken much of the drudgery out of what remains a fairly complex process.
Rip would be absolutely amazed. I’m sorry he isn’t around to see how I do it.
But at its heart, it is still all about selection. That was Rip’s gift—and that is what he gave us.
If it ain't broke... On the other hand, I had NO idea that you are choosing so few stories from so many candidates. It looks like the clear majority are pretty pleased with the number, bent, and quality of your selections. I'd say keep it manageable and throw in a bonus article when you think its a good idea.
I think 4 or 6 are fine. The summaries are excellent and a great way to digest the message without reading the entire treatise. Thanks for your great work. John Stasko
At times there are six worthy stories. At other times there are not. Just use the best. That might mean four one day, six the next. Triage, Jim. You are doing great.
344361
You are greatly appreciated for all that you do to keep your readers informed. Thank you so!
Maggi Williams
Florida
4 to 6 is great. Will leave it up to you to pick the best. LOVE the new format. I can read the ones that really hook me, but i still get the important info on the others.
I selected 6 stories, but I would really like to leave the number to your discretion, based on what you feel is important to share. I really like the summaries with the option of reading the entire article. Thank you very much for all your efforts!!! Joan Cummins, Dublin, OH
Dear Jim,
I happen to think that you need to make this Newsletter YOUR Newsletter by choosing to share what YOU think is worth sharing, and not necessarily more political opinion. I think it would be nice if you share anything and everything that you have LEARNED during your life that can benefit any reader. That is what I would love to see you do with this Newsletter.
For example, I have a friend who has made a decision on cancer treatment and the Longevity outcome of their choice is the same whether it was to get the cancer removed by surgery or removed it with radiation. They have been silent during this process, so I thought it beneficial to point out this:
Do you know the reason WHY loneliness is such a killer and also leaves people at strong risk of dementia?
Loneliness is considered both a significant health risk comparable to mortality factors like obesity and a potential cause of dementia.
As a Killer: The U.S. Surgeon General has declared loneliness a profound public health challenge, noting that it can decrease life expectancy by as much as 30 percent, making it as deadly as obesity and drug abuse.
As a Cause of Dementia: Extensive research confirms loneliness is an independent risk factor for dementia, increasing risk by approximately 40% overall. It is associated with a 14% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 17% increased risk of vascular dementia, with effects comparable to physical inactivity or smoking.
Mechanisms: Loneliness may accelerate dementia through chronic stress, neuroendocrine activation, and early neuropathological changes such as reduced cerebral volume and white matter injury, particularly in adults under 80.
In other words, LONELINESS is a TOXIC emotion that is a killer of those who feel it and a cause or accelerator of dementia.
What if you NEVER feel lonely?
Then you are good to go because you are not having chronic, toxic stress even though you are alone (which is me)!
Is chronic worry after you have been treated for cancer, such as having an operation to remove it or undergoing radiation, similar to the toxic result of chronic stress over lonliness?
Yes, chronic worry after cancer treatment (often called Fear of Cancer Recurrence or FCR) creates a toxic physiological state similar to the chronic stress caused by loneliness, though the triggers differ.
Shared Biological Toxicity: Both conditions trigger a sustained "fight or flight" response, flooding the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This chronic state leads to:
Immune Suppression: Just as loneliness weakens immune defense, persistent post-treatment worry impairs immune surveillance, which is critical for preventing cancer recurrence. Research indicates that psychological stress can biologically impact tumor progression and metastasis.
Inflammation: Both states promote systemic inflammation, a known driver for various chronic diseases and potentially cancer progression.
Mortality Risk: Persistent psychological distress in survivors is associated with a 1.2 to 1.5-fold increased risk of mortality. Survivors with persistent depression or anxiety show worse survival outcomes compared to those who recover emotionally.
The Vicious Cycle: Unlike general stress, FCR is often triggered by normal bodily sensations, creating a feedback loop where worry amplifies physical symptoms, which in turn increases worry. This mirrors how loneliness heightens sensitivity to social threats.
Studies show FCR is positively correlated with loneliness; patients who feel isolated experience higher fear of progression, suggesting the two toxins often compound each other.
High levels of FCR can lead to social isolation (withdrawing from activities due to fear), effectively creating loneliness where there was none, thereby doubling the toxic load.
Distinct but Comparable: While cancer itself is a cellular disease, the chronic worry surrounding it acts as a distinct, powerful stressor that can degrade health outcomes independently. Experts note that the biological impact of this psychological fear can be "no less important than real physiological tissue damage" in terms of suppressing immune competence during critical recovery periods.
In other words, you must accept after you have finished the radiation treatments or after surgery to remove the prostate cancer that your result is just as good with either treatment, and with the same outcome in longevity!
You understand, you have to put thoughts of that cancer behind you, like I did with my cancer treatment. You've made an EXCELLENT decision AND it is most likely the last thing you'll need to worry about after the radiation, or surgery, so you'll need to Believe it is just as good as another treatment with Longevity outcomes is the SAME.
After the treatment, stop worrying forever! Accept you made a very smart decision to made, and trust the result and stop worrying forever, and you can begin being stress free about it now while being treated, if you ever do feel upset over the fact you got it!!!
Jim, I am sure you are full of experiences you can share to help all the people who read your Newsletter and for me, sharing to help others live and learn and benefit from your life of experience is what I would love to read about! I have my own group & I always try to share whatever it is that I think will benefit people to know. We all have to Live and Learn.
Thank you for taking this newsletter on and Please, Now, Make it YOUR Own!!
Very truly yours,
Hannah
You are doing really well! Use your best judgement! We trust you.
I have really appreciated your efforts to summarize the stories presented, and look forward to at least reading the summaries when they arrive and when time and interest are present go back to read the full story. In short, I like what you are doing and with this new approach and would leave up to you the number of stories and topics that you think should be presented. Great job, and very much appreciated!
Kathleen
Kathleen, thanks for the comment. Here’s a cool fact: MOST PEOPLE JUST READ THE SUMMARIES!
That tells me they’re doing exactly what they were intended to do: save you time while keeping you informed.
Know what I do when I’m faced with a long essay? I copy and paste it into AI and ask for a summary. Then I decide whether the full article is worth my time.
That’s really the whole idea behind the newsletter. You can scan the summaries, know what’s going on, and dig deeper only when something grabs you.
Time is our scarce resource. I’m trying to give some of it back to you.
Keep them coming!!
I prefer quality over volume. Your recent articles have been fantastic loaded with quality information..
I really appreciate you picking up the FREEDOM OF SPEECH FLAG and charging Forward..
Your current format motivates me to read all the articles and absorb the content.
That being said I’m behind whatever decision you make.
Freedom & Liberty Advocate,
Russ Waymire
Russ, this is what one calls a full-throated response.
And I am absolutely, 100% FOR free speech in all its forms.
We can never go back to any version of the censorship we experienced during the COVID hysteria. I couldn’t believe what I was watching at the time, and I still have a hard time understanding how millions of people simply went along with it.
People were told which questions could be asked, which opinions were acceptable, and which voices should be silenced. Whatever one believed about COVID itself, that should trouble everyone.
Free speech matters most when the speech is unpopular, irritating, or challenges the prevailing consensus. Otherwise, it isn’t much of a principle.
It was really unbelievable. I am concerned with the broken trust between now between " the authorities" and the rest if us. When the next COVID arises, who is going to believe in what they tell us to do?
I won’t.
Even three would be worthwhile and appreciated if your becomes too heavy a burden. Thanks for your considerate leadership.
Eric
I think 2-4 full texts plus summaries of other worthy candidates. Use AI to do the summaries-fast and generally excellent.
I really enjoy your new format. I will subscribe now.
Some further thoughts: This certainly isn't a "labor of love". You're spending a significant amount of time on this and unless there is a major financial return, it would seem to be difficult to continue. But your audience appreciates your contributions to national sanity. Which suggests a balance of some sort. If you feel up to 6 stories, so be it. Or simply vary the output according to your available time, or supply of articles. In any event, whatever your decision, I appreciate your efforts.
Bill, I appreciate your thoughts. Recall, I’m a master software programmer, and I’ve automated much of what Rip did by hand. I’m not saying it’s easy, but I’ve taken much of the drudgery out of what remains a fairly complex process.
Rip would be absolutely amazed. I’m sorry he isn’t around to see how I do it.
But at its heart, it is still all about selection. That was Rip’s gift—and that is what he gave us.
If it ain't broke... On the other hand, I had NO idea that you are choosing so few stories from so many candidates. It looks like the clear majority are pretty pleased with the number, bent, and quality of your selections. I'd say keep it manageable and throw in a bonus article when you think its a good idea.
Many thanks for what you do!
Davis Driver
I think we have come up with a solution for this. Thanks.
Thank you for your efforts!!
Jim
I think 4 or 6 are fine. The summaries are excellent and a great way to digest the message without reading the entire treatise. Thanks for your great work. John Stasko