John McNicotine is now for the tobacco lobby after years of working against it.  He not only opposes the cigarette taxes he used to support but also opposes FDA regulation of the tobacco industry after years of supporting it.  McNicotine is an ex-smoker and should understand just how addictive nicotine is, and he even acknowledged the exceptionally high death rate for tobacco users when he joked that cigarette exports to Iran were part of his plot to kill Iranian citizens.  For McNicotine to cave in to the tobacco cartel is the ultimate flip-flop:
http://www.boston.com/...

Why has McNicotine caved in to the interests of the tobacco drug cartel?  It couldn't possibly have anything to do with hiring tobacco lobbyist Charlie Black as his senior adviser.  Move along folks.  There's nothing to see here:
http://firedoglake.com/...

Now let's use the traditional Rethug "moral values" and "sanctity of life" frames against McNicotine!  There's more in the flip.

This is a diary of depression mixed with anger. It's based on two men who successfully avoided both while they faced the thing we all fear the most: Death. Leroy Sievers and Randy Pausch both made peace with their impending death, knowing that not only was it was inevitable as it is for all, but imminent. They faced death and did not display anger and depression, and that is where I admit I am not so strong. I am ashamed to be alive in light of the spirit that they displayed throughout the moments we know we will all face - but don't believe we have to day to day.

I'm seething inside after watching Saturday night's transparent panderings to the religious right; who's hubris in co-opting the phrase "culture of life" is unforgivable. I feel they have absolutely no credibility to claim any moral standing on life at all and I'll explain why.

As has been mentioned before here there are now dead zones off the coasts of California, the east coast of the US, the Gulf Coast, Mexico, Venezuala, Portugaul, Britain, the channel islands, Scandinavia, the Adriatic, the Black Sea, the Caspian, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Dead zones – areas of oxygen-depleted bottom waters – are spreading at an alarming rate in coastal waters, killing off huge amounts of marine life, a new study has found.

The number of dead zones has doubled every decade since the sixties. Thats 2^5 times as many areas where the reefs are barren, the fish are floating belly up and the fisherman are watching their boats and gear rot and their families starve.

Car crash deaths in the United States declined last year, reaching the lowest level in more than a decade. Only 41,059 people were killed in highway crashes, down by more than 1,000 from 2006. Great news! This makes sense since people drove less in the past year, in part due to higher gas prices.

But, seriously think about that: 40 thousand people. I don't know why we put up with such a high death rate. Yes, we are a nation of millions, but car crashes account for more than half of accidental deaths. Car crashes kill people in all stages of life and disproportionately impact teenagers.  

There was a very important diary posted here last night through much of today on the death of Hiu Lui Ng.  It was by Gorette, and if you missed it: http://www.dailykos.com/...

You should also check out the original New York Times article on this incident, which is one of the most horrific stories of human cruelty I've heard in a long time: http://www.nytimes.com/...

Keith Olbermann addressed this awhile ago on his show, and his words--dripping with anger--summed up how I felt about this last night.  Here is my original comment in that diary: http://www.dailykos.com/...

Russia invades Georgia (the country, not the
southern US state next to Alabama).

McCain=Bush, Cheney lead the sabre rattling.
There must be consequences, there could be,
ummmmm, international wrist slapping,
economic sanctions, G8 sans Russia G7,
another war ?

Bush speaks of sovereign countries invaded,
democratically elected governments in danger
of being overthrown.

MSM maps of Georgia appear on the TV screen and
in almost all these maps a squiggly black line
in southern Georgia, it's an oil pipeline !

Hundreds, thousands ? have been killed in this
conflict but now it's serious business, oil is
involved and a oil pipeline no less !

I love the Olympics, and I really love the opening ceremonies.  They give me hope that some day we will all progress past the "me first" attitude of "better us than them" which causes so much pain and suffering in the world.

I love seeing the athletes crossing over to talk to their counterparts of other nations, smiling and joined by a common love of athleticism and competition.

Friendly competition gives us a warm and fuzzy feeling, kind of like the cute panda mascot.

So, I was disgusted by NBC's commentators last night, politicizing, no, propagandizing this moment of world harmony.

I was not watching the t.v., following a spate of ads, when a roar of applause and cheers caused me to look up and see that the French had arrived in the stadium, acting tres, tres, tres...well, French.  

My life flows in endless song, above the earth's lamentation.
I hear the real though far-off hum that hails a new creation.

Chorus:
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?

Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear that music ringing;
It sounds and echoes in my soul; how can I keep from singing?

Chorus

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing.
All things are mine since I am his; how can I keep from singing?

Chorus

It is a Quaker hymn.  We actually have those.  But it was at the end of a Catholic Mass of Christian Burial, with music from Taize, and Amazing Grace and a Navajo chant at the graveside.  And although I knew the words, I found I could not sing this Quaker hymn because of weeping, as Greg's body left the church.

The phone rang and my wife took the call. Her cousin Matt was in the hospital and was expected by the Doctors to be dying soon.

He lost his battle yesterday, but the war against the VA and the U.S. Government's lack of concern for it's brave troops rages on.

Matt served in the US Army for 8 years and 9 months. Staff Sergeant, Command Section Sergeant and Stryker Vehicle Commander; and was in Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment. He was exposed to radiation and chemicals in Iraq. The V.A. repeatedly denied him care.

He leaves behind his wife and two young sons.

The email was entitled "Sorry to have to tell you this" and was from one of my students who came to Austin to be on the panel with me.  When I opened it up I found out that one of his classmates, a young man who had been in the same AP Government class with him, had passed away that morning.  And the effect on me was immediate and profound.  I knew he had not been the picture of perfect health, often missing school, and that his family had sought out appropriate medical treatment.  It was a family I knew well, having dealt with his Dad in his professional capacity, and having taught his older sister and written her college recommendations.

Certainly my sorrow pales next to that of his family, and it is not why I am writing this.  Perhaps it is because at age 62, with both of my parents long dead, with learning each year of the deaths of more high school and college acquaintances, I ponder death a bit more often.  When I wrote on June 1 about the oncoming death of our College's long-time athletic director, someone who is my age contemporary wrote "Ah. We've reached the age, you and I, when so many of those we knew are on their deathbeds."   So forgive me, but I want to ponder death this morning.  

The NY Times busts the myth and opens the door that has kept the American public sheltered from the realities of War. The horrors of death and grievous wounds suffered by our combat troops and the civilian populace.

If the conflict in Vietnam was notable for open access given to journalists — too much, many critics said, as the war played out nightly in bloody newscasts — the Iraq war may mark an opposite extreme: after five years and more than 4,000 American combat deaths, searches and interviews turned up fewer than a half-dozen graphic photographs of dead American soldiers.

I can't decide whether that's a good thing or not.  On one hand, it seems so smug that you'd pick a patriotic holiday to kick the bucket, but on the other hand it's annoying that I had to stomach hearing your name while enjoying a perfectly grilled burger.  I'm sure the media narrative will be to paint you as a southern hero who did lots of things in the Senate.

There should be no mistake, going forth into any point in our future that Jesse Helms was an enemy of our Democracy, a truly wretched creature driven by an overwhelming fear and hatred of anyone different from him.  So driven as to rise to the top of our political system to obstruct our country's slow march toward a just and equal society.  He lived his life as a speedbump to progress and should be known for it.  If there is any justice he would be interred in an actual speed bump on the road to the Lincoln Memorial.

Ok, I should note right away: she doesn't like to be called Emma.  Her second name is Claire.  So, we'll be calling her "Claire".

Claire called me today.  She didn't have much time to talk.  She was on her way to organize local Democrats who hoped to unseat a Republican for County Commissioner.  This was the first time that Claire had called me in quite a long time.  I usually have to call Claire.  I was amazed that she found my phone-number.  Her address book is about two inches thick.  Hundreds of people wait for her letters, just because whe never writes back.

She can't do email.  She has an idea that if an arrow on the screen points to an icon, that's good enough.

 A frightening glimpse into the "tort-reform" society so bleoved of Republicans emerged today - and it was on tape:

http://rawstory.com/...

 I saw this this morning - a snippet.  Trust me - this is hard to take.  

 Some thoughts on the standard of care and the disturbing trends of where we are headed, below.

Ever since I got here I always knew that Americans were puritanical at heart, wishing Hell on everyone, claiming Hells influence on everything. So I took upon my self to go to Hell and see what was really there, for the education and benefit of all.

The journey largely mirrors another taken seven hundred years before.

Br Grim

Because of the size of the poem it has to be split in three, (this is part III of III) so 3 diaries across 3 days, but the entire poem can be seen at Dante's Inferno Revisited and at the Grim & Grimy blogspot

Consider it an ABC of sin

For the record, only the last canto will count (XXXIII)

Ever since I got here I always knew that Americans were puritanical at heart, wishing Hell on everyone, claiming Hells influence on everything. So I took upon my self to go to Hell and see what was really there, for the education and benefit of all.

The journey largely mirrors another taken seven hundred years before.

Br Grim

Because of the size of the poem it has to be split in three, so 3 diaries across 3 days, (this is part II) but the entire poem can be seen at Dante's Inferno Revisited and at the Grim & Grimy blogspot

Consider it an ABC of sin

For the record, only the last canto will count (XXXIII)

John Francis Lang died at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 31st, 2007.  He was fifty six years old and had spent forty one of those years fighting a disease for which there is no cure.  It was a battle of attrition and constant loss, with, in the end, only the possibility of a negotiated surrender.

After the cremation, when my mother asked where we we thought John would like to go, my brother Jim and I both replied that we should take him back to Metlakatla, where he had been happiest and healthiest in his life.

This is a story of a victory, one engineered by John himself and also a story of coming home.