I’m very sorry to hear that Elizabeth Edwards has had a medical setback, and though I don’t agree with her politics, and don’t want her husband to become president in any way, continue to wish her the best of health. Having just lost a friend to cancer, this event seems all the more poignant, particularly seeing all the heartfelt support from the blogosphere that (for the most part) transcended politics. Dean Barnett, who knows something of such things, is much more eloquent.

She lived three years longer than she was supposed to, and then even after being given two days, she lasted a little more. But Cathy is gone now (I assume that she never considered cryonics). But not gone for good. Gone for no reason at all, really. But as someone once said, with all the people she touched and influenced for the better, she left a wake of good in her life whose waves will probably continue to spread for years and decades. Maia seems to have been strong throughout, and she will perhaps be Cathy’s greatest legacy.

For those who didn’t know her, Moxie has perhaps the best picture of her as we knew her recently. And improbably, of all people, Susan Estrich has some touching thoughts of her own. Being on the wrong end of the country now, I regret not being able to attend the service on Friday (though I’ll be in Phoenix, which is a lot closer), and to celebrate her life with mutual friends, who were legion.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Here’s the obit from her nemesis, the LA Times.

Patricia’s computer needs more memory. It’s got half a gig, but it’s being brought to its knees. The board’s about four or five years old (I think it’s running a 1.8 MHz Athlon). It’s got an extra DIMM slot, but I don’t know how big a stick it can take. I can’t find the mobo manual, but I figured I could find one on line. The only identifier I can see on it says “Micro-Star Model MS-5390.” But when I do a search on that, I come up empty. I assume that it’s an MSI, but that model number doesn’t seem to exist in their data base. Anyone have any idea what’s going on? What are the chances that a board of that vintage can’t handle a gigbyte stick? I don’t want to go out and buy one unless I know it will work. On the other hand, just adding another half a gig would probably solve her problem.

[Update in the late afternoon]

Well, after reviewing the options (buying half a gig for sixty bucks or a full gig for a hundred and ten) and realizing that the memory I was buying would probably be useless on the next upgrade, I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade now. Athlon 64 and a gig of DDR2 for ~$250. I can use the other mobo for a development linux box.

Based on Maia’s comment to this latest post on Cathy’s blog, by Lewis Fein, it sounds like the end is very near. Much of the blogosphere, even those who disagreed with her politically, is mourning already (happily, I only saw one mean-spirited tribute). She will leave a hole in it, and in Los Angeles journalism, that won’t be filled soon, or perhaps at all.

For those who didn’t know her, and want to get a sense of her, read Amy Alkon’s post:

At the party at Debbie and Morgan Gundel’s to celebrate her remission, she announced, “I just want to let everyone know having cancer hasn’t made me a better person.”

She also has a link roundup.

Mark Steyn:

She

Cathy Seipp, a witty, insightful and lovely journalist (and someone who I would like to think a friend, based on the many parties of hers to which I was invited, and attended, one a Halloween party in her home) has been waging a valiant fight against inoperable lung cancer for several years (and for those wondering, no, she never smoked). Sadly, it looks like the battle is almost over, and not in her or her family’s favor.

Please extend your best wishes (and prayers, for those who do that) to them, and particularly her brave daughter (now in college) Maia. And as she says, contribute to the American Lung Cancer Society, and give an impounded dog or cat a home in her honor.

What kind of driver are you?

Though, actually, I’m not a full auto-bahner. I rarely drive that much over the limit (typically ten MPH at most) unless I’m way out in the middle of nowhere (like back roads in Nevada), and I get a speeding ticket about once every five years or so. But I’ve never used a radar detector, either, which probably would have helped.

I never accept a red rental car, though. I think they’re cop bait. I also avoid the left lane except for passing. I’ve only gotten one speeding ticket in the right lane (back in ’99). I think that cops look for speeders in the left lane.

I recall one incident many years ago, when I was going up to Princeton from DC for Gerry O’Neill’s funeral, with another spacer (who was an early L-5 member, but shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) in his rental car. He was a left laner, and I told him repeatedly that he was asking for a ticket, particularly since we were in Maryland, which is notorious in regard to ticketing speeders. Sure enough, he got pulled over.

I also recall seeing another space enthusiast passing us, and laughing when he saw who just got pulled over. Not to mention chiding him after the service. I accepted no responsibility whatsoever. I’d warned him.

What kind of driver are you?

Though, actually, I’m not a full auto-bahner. I rarely drive that much over the limit (typically ten MPH at most) unless I’m way out in the middle of nowhere (like back roads in Nevada), and I get a speeding ticket about once every five years or so. But I’ve never used a radar detector, either, which probably would have helped.

I never accept a red rental car, though. I think they’re cop bait. I also avoid the left lane except for passing. I’ve only gotten one speeding ticket in the right lane (back in ’99). I think that cops look for speeders in the left lane.

I recall one incident many years ago, when I was going up to Princeton from DC for Gerry O’Neill’s funeral, with another spacer (who was an early L-5 member, but shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) in his rental car. He was a left laner, and I told him repeatedly that he was asking for a ticket, particularly since we were in Maryland, which is notorious in regard to ticketing speeders. Sure enough, he got pulled over.

I also recall seeing another space enthusiast passing us, and laughing when he saw who just got pulled over. Not to mention chiding him after the service. I accepted no responsibility whatsoever. I’d warned him.

What kind of driver are you?

Though, actually, I’m not a full auto-bahner. I rarely drive that much over the limit (typically ten MPH at most) unless I’m way out in the middle of nowhere (like back roads in Nevada), and I get a speeding ticket about once every five years or so. But I’ve never used a radar detector, either, which probably would have helped.

I never accept a red rental car, though. I think they’re cop bait. I also avoid the left lane except for passing. I’ve only gotten one speeding ticket in the right lane (back in ’99). I think that cops look for speeders in the left lane.

I recall one incident many years ago, when I was going up to Princeton from DC for Gerry O’Neill’s funeral, with another spacer (who was an early L-5 member, but shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) in his rental car. He was a left laner, and I told him repeatedly that he was asking for a ticket, particularly since we were in Maryland, which is notorious in regard to ticketing speeders. Sure enough, he got pulled over.

I also recall seeing another space enthusiast passing us, and laughing when he saw who just got pulled over. Not to mention chiding him after the service. I accepted no responsibility whatsoever. I’d warned him.

I can’t believe I missed Oklahoma. I’m embarrassed, but I guess forty-nine out of fifty isn’t too bad.

[Via Paul Hsieh (who I beat by one)]

As a world-class procrastinator, I found this essay on the subject very interesting. At least, once I actually took the time to read it.

It has a lot of insights that seem obvious once you read them, but are brilliant nonetheless. Kind of like James Welles’ thesis on stupidity.