Hey Gang,

    I am sending this personal note to multiple receivers who are close to The Iconoclast. As an update on my health, doctors are trying to locate blood pressure lowering medications that I can tolerate. Life has been miserable as I have very low tolerance to most side effects.

    My typing is terrible and I cannot concentrate on things too long without a big spike in bp. Doctors have rated my survival chances at about 20 percent and told me they can't believe I am not already dead (at least three strokes and 70 TIA's* later). So, for me, it has been touch-and-go, day by day. Doctors say that it is strange that my heart is in such great shape, but the tiny arteries throughout my brain are trying to close up and my carotids (in four day's time) went from 30 percent blockage (only one of them) to 80 percent (while in the hospital). I am considering biofeedback and also saw a video one of you sent to me about diet, which I am trying to adhere to.

    There is a very good chance that some party or group has tried to do me in. I have made some very solid enemies over the years not only by what The Iconoclast has published from various writers, but due to my own investigations where I have infiltrated big corporations, the military, the government, and others, which I have a unique ability to do. In fact, I was working on three of these investigations when this happened and I might have overstepped on one of them just before my strokes occurred. There were four hospital incidents that consisted of acts of sheer multiple stupidity that would have cost me my life had I not interfered, unless these were on purpose, plus lots more. I get very tired of people telling me it was "just a coincidence" this or that happened to me, from the rubber stamp that melted in my desk (in a drawer six inches from my "mouse" hand) on the day of the first stroke, to multiple misdiagnoses, to weird changes in hospital protocol. Two nights in one hospital were spent with me sleeping on the concrete floor in a corner, not in the bed (my choice, for sake of survival), with gadgets hooked all over me.

    Currently, I cannot edit or format the usual bulk of items being sent to The Iconoclast, so it is on virtual hold, but please continue to send material as you have in the past in the event my condition improves. Because of the types of material we publish, I have to be able to participate, which, physically, I cannot currently do. Maybe I will know where we are headed for sure in a couple of weeks.

    My family and I are thankful for your prayers and kind thoughts. Please be patient and bear with me as I try to improve. I do apologize for not living up to my responsibilities right now — I feel like I am letting everyone down. Please forgive me. -- Leon

* A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is an episode in which a person has stroke-like symptoms for less than 24 hours, usually less than 1-2 hours.

To read more of Mr. Smith's writings, refer to his 2010 archive page: http://lonestaricon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=47&Itemid=83

Sept. 20,. 2010

capltainmay@prodigy.net