A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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March 13, 2014 - Salim ("Slim") Abdool Karim visited from Sotuh Afrtica at my invitation to deliver the John la Montagne Lecture in the Lipsett Auditorium. Slim had take the job as the Director of the South Africa MRC to essentially shake up the place and fire a bunch of dea wood. He took the job on a contingency that he would leave is 2 years. He has done a great job of "cleaning up". He will be replaced by another friend, i.e. Glenda Gray.
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March 14, 2014 - Spoke with Rick Atkinson today to update him on the progress of my memoirs and to ask his advice about whether I should engage Bob Barnett for advice about the legality of my writing my memoirs while I am a USG worker. Recall that Bob Barnett has offered to be my agent when I write my book. He offered to do this years ago.
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March 20, 2014 - Received horrible news tonight at around 9:30 PM from Howard Boltansky who called my cell phone. My dear friend and physician for 16 years, David Jacobs died suddenly in Las Vegas today where he was with his brother to watch the NCAA Tournament (March Madness). David had shown me an MRI of his abdomen. About 6 years ago he was struck by a car while running his daily run down by the Mall. He got badly bruised up, but there was no concussion and so other 'apparent" injuries exception getting banged up badly. About 6 months later on a routine medical examination and MRI, they found a major tear the length of the aorta with clotted blood stably keeping everything in place. Amazingly, his renal vessels and femoral arteries were being perfused, but the tear and clot was extensive. Clearly, this happened at the time of the accident. He had gone to several vascular surgical consultants who told him that this was not repairable and that if they attempted to repair it, he had a very high likelihood of dying on the OR table. They told him that he could live 30 years or he could die suddenly at any time. No way to predict and so he has lived with this hanging over him. In my conversations with his, he was always in good spirits and seemed to accept the risk. Unfortunately, this has happened. I am terribly saddened. I loved David and he took such good care of me. I had trained him when he was an NIAID Clinical Associate and he tumed into a superb physician. I will miss him. I will go to his funeral on Sunday, March 23. I am somewhat saddened that I did not call him when Thad gotten the urge to do so just a week or so ago. And so now I am calling some of ny friends who I worry about. I e-mailed Alec Whyte and called Jim Dickson and Larry Kramer (see below)
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March 21, 2014 -
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2014-03-22 00:00
Anthony S. Fauci
March 22, 2014 -- Went to Regis High School today (Saturday) to give Lecture as part of a series of lectures celebrating the Centennial of Regis. I spoke of my career as a public servant at NIH as a journey from Regis High School to Washington, D.C. Mostly alumni in audience. They gave me a prolonged standing ovation. Great trip with much déja vu, especially seeing the old narrow basketball court where we used to practice and play our Freshman games.
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March 23, 2014 -- Went to David Jacobs funeral at the Judean Gardens Memorial Chapel and Cemetery in Olney. I realize now how much I liked and even loved David. Very sad.
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March 24, 2014 -- Visited Bob Barnett at his office at Williams & Connelly at 725 -- 12% Street, N.W. to discuss my proposed memoirs. He said that I could not write it and publish it while still a government worker. Even if the General Counsel of HHS gave me permission, he would not recommend my doing it since the appearance would trigger my "enemies" to come after me. I am such a public figure, that I almost certainly have "enemies". What was disturbing in the conversation was that he felt that as important as Tam and as compelling is my story, "AIDS books do not sell; they depress people". He cited the Elton John book that he was involved in. Bob said sarcastically: "It sold 12 copies". He said I would have to find a "hook" for the book that would sell it. He also disappointed me by saying that if I wanted to write a book, right before I left the government, I should get myself on TV a lot so that people can be reminded of whom I am similar to the Anthrax days. He also said that I should not be writing the entire book before signing a deal. I should write a proposal and get and editor since publishers would not want to read an entire book. Apart from the Legal/ethical issues, which I will check out further, I disagreed with virtually everything that he said, but was very courteous and thanked him without disagreeing. He brought into the session, his associate -- Deneen Powell, an attractive, young African-American lawyer. I called up Rick Atkinson and told him about my visit with Bob and Rick suggested that I speak with Bill Shultz, General Counsel from HHS. Like me, Rick disagreed with everything he said in the editorial sphere. \nne Ginsberg and ' hours with me on to Was on WTOP for the NYC measles outbreak.
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March 25, 2014 - Appeared on Diane Rehm Show on WMAU with Anne Ginsberg and .... To discuss TB for World TB day.
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March 26, 2014 - Testified at the House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing with Francis Collins, Harold Varmus, Story Landis, Gary Gibbons. Chairman Kingston stayed for 10 minutes and then handed Chair to Dr. Andy Harris (R-MD). Harris questioned me on why we are spending so much money on AIDS given the decreased deaths compared to diabetes, CVD, cancer, etc. I explained that we are still in the middle of a pandemic. Appeared on Al Jazeera regarding Ebola in Guinea.