It's not much of a victory, but after complaints by myself and others concerned about clean air for those with health problems, TriMet the bus service for Portland, Oregon has finally decided to ban smoking in the busstops and fine smokers $94 for smoking violations.
This would appear to be good news. But smokers still have the right to light up and cause severe health problems, injury or even death to nonsmokers with asthma or other health problems by still being allowed to abuse public sidewalks, public streets, store doorway entrances and most other open locations to poison the air with the 4,000 poisons their nicotine drug addiction rude public conduct causes. Smokers can still cause cancers of all type in nonsmokers, including of the tongue, throat, breast and ear infections in those around them by ruining the air that others with health problems count on being good enough to breathe.
Much more work to make smokers accountable for their crimes against nonsmokers are needed. Individual smokers, stores that sell cigarettes or allow parking lot or door entrance smoking, cities that allow public smoking, as well as the cigarette companies all need to agree to a total ban on all public smoking and limit this deadly drug addiction to only the inside of homes of the smokers, or should face negligent personal injury lawsuits.
It is hardly likely that smokers who smoke publicly will stop their dirty public drug addiction conduct. If you ask them nice to please stop, they usually act very rotten, just like a heroin addict being denied their next "fix". Public laws or lawsuits are needed to stop these drug addicts from tearing down the health of nonsmokers and injuring children with ear infections and other injuries. One cigarette could potentially cause several nonsmokers severe asthma attacks, medical costs or even death. If a nonsmoker with asthma is without their inhaler, a severe health crisis caused by a public smoker is more than possible.
Stores should be interested in what's good for business. And allowing smokers to loiter in door areas or parking lots, has caused me to drive away from a Safeway and other parking lots and spend my grocery money elsewhere. Nonsmokers should make stores aware of this. And if no change comes, then lawsuits should come to clean up this unnecessary health threat to nonsmokers.
My mother who is a lifelong nonsmoker has been caused both asthma and now emphysema from secondhand cigarette smoke. She has to pay up to $400 a week in medications and a machine to assist breathing. And I have substantial lung, throat and mouth scarring due to the effects of rheumatoid arthritis and cannot tolerate even breathing of cigarette smoke without severe burning pain in my mouth, tongue, throat and lungs. I'll devote everyday to making life better for nonsmokers with health problems, air cleaner so children can play outside, and bringing this criminal smoking industry to justice, whether through legislation or through lawsuits. I invite many others to also challenge this criminal industry and bring the smoking industry to justice.
This is a moral war to saves lives, save public health injuries and costs, and to stop an industry that profits from immoral injuries and deaths to nonusers of tobacco products who are victimized by this wealthy industry. Nonsmokers have the right to breathe clean air. Smokers and the immoral tobacco industry have no right to take that away.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Chevy HHR: Strange New Retro Entry
Jay Leno's Thursday night program was sponsored by an unusual new automobile?, or maybe light truck? entry, the Chevrolet HHR. Strange comedy oriented ads featuring unusual comic actor Andy Dick, seemed to purposely avoid mention of any of the features of the new automobile. No mention of the cars specifications, engine or horsepower was mentioned, other than the attractive base model price and a few glimses of the vehicle. The form does have some function though, at first glance.
This HHR vehicle is based on the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban styling, and the HHR stands for "Heritage High Rise". It looks something like the PT Cruiser built by Chrysler, but is slightly larger, costs slightly more, has slightly less horsepower and has far less clean styling than the PT Cruiser, which is a far more simple and direct retro late 40's design. The HHR does come across as sort of gaudy and overdone in the styling department. Yet with the large cargo compacity, this design based on Chevrolet Cobalt small car line may be able to find a market with some young buyers, or those who have band equipment to move for gigs, or other utility purposes.
At 143 horsepower, with the standard 2.2L four cylinder, the HHR has a little less muscle than the 150 horsepower in the 2.4L four in the PT Cruiser. Both offer optional engines with a little more horsepower, but neither is a drag strip contender. Both are marketed for their unusual design which allows for a higher roofline for more cargo carrying utility. And both offer a very reasonable 22MPG city, and 30 Highway MPG.
And thankfully, the HHR features standard antirust rust through protection. For those living in states like Ohio, where salted roads once used to eat away with rust new Vegas, Chevettes, Monzas and other low priced Chevrolets and other economy brand cars at one time, antirust through at least promises the vehicle will last long enough to make the last payment on the vehicle while it is still in one piece on the road. Buyers expect this better quality in even the small and low priced cars now than they did years ago, where almost any cost cutting to reduce production costs was once tolerated by a forgiving auto buying public. But the excellent construction or reasonable priced automobiles like Toyota and Honda raised the quality control ante for all brands.
The HHR should find a market. And the $15,990 base price isn't too bad. Although at $14,270 the slightly smaller PT Cruiser is still a bit cheaper. And with some current incentives at Chrysler, some PT Cruisers are as low as $12,713 for the next few days in September until these sales promotions expire.
Unlike a real SUV, the HHR will not be offered in four wheel drive or other sturdy SUV drivetrain arrangements at least for now. It is simply an upright roof based vehicle that looks sort of like a SUV with the Chevy Cobalt small car design as the vehicle's real basis, and not the sturdy truck design that one will find in real Chevrolet SUVs such as the Suburban line.
GM has had some worry over lagging sales until the recent sales incentives upticked sales for America's largest vehicle maker recently. But some will like the HHR, although the styling does look overdone to me. This new vehicle is worth a look and a test drive at your local Chevrolet dealer if you're in the market for a vehicle similar to the PT Cruiser, with a little more size that offers some utility in a small 176.2 inch long vehicle with a 103.5 inch wheelbase.
Compared to the other retro styled SSR, that has a very high price, and high performance to boot, the HHR looks sort of cool in a retro way, and may become a favorite of some. It is affordable and reasonable and practical enough despite the unusual and overdone styling that Chevrolet may be able to sell 50,000 or more of these HHRs in the next year. If it clicks with the public, a Ford version or import version may come down the turnpike eventually. Whether Chevrolet can find a popular product in a niche market that Chrysler created with the PT Cruiser will be an interesting test. But with many good looking car models from Toyota, Honda and other makers, most car buyers will no doubt opt for attractive cars that look like cars. A small car that looks like a light truck is still the market exception, and not the market rule.
This HHR vehicle is based on the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban styling, and the HHR stands for "Heritage High Rise". It looks something like the PT Cruiser built by Chrysler, but is slightly larger, costs slightly more, has slightly less horsepower and has far less clean styling than the PT Cruiser, which is a far more simple and direct retro late 40's design. The HHR does come across as sort of gaudy and overdone in the styling department. Yet with the large cargo compacity, this design based on Chevrolet Cobalt small car line may be able to find a market with some young buyers, or those who have band equipment to move for gigs, or other utility purposes.
At 143 horsepower, with the standard 2.2L four cylinder, the HHR has a little less muscle than the 150 horsepower in the 2.4L four in the PT Cruiser. Both offer optional engines with a little more horsepower, but neither is a drag strip contender. Both are marketed for their unusual design which allows for a higher roofline for more cargo carrying utility. And both offer a very reasonable 22MPG city, and 30 Highway MPG.
And thankfully, the HHR features standard antirust rust through protection. For those living in states like Ohio, where salted roads once used to eat away with rust new Vegas, Chevettes, Monzas and other low priced Chevrolets and other economy brand cars at one time, antirust through at least promises the vehicle will last long enough to make the last payment on the vehicle while it is still in one piece on the road. Buyers expect this better quality in even the small and low priced cars now than they did years ago, where almost any cost cutting to reduce production costs was once tolerated by a forgiving auto buying public. But the excellent construction or reasonable priced automobiles like Toyota and Honda raised the quality control ante for all brands.
The HHR should find a market. And the $15,990 base price isn't too bad. Although at $14,270 the slightly smaller PT Cruiser is still a bit cheaper. And with some current incentives at Chrysler, some PT Cruisers are as low as $12,713 for the next few days in September until these sales promotions expire.
Unlike a real SUV, the HHR will not be offered in four wheel drive or other sturdy SUV drivetrain arrangements at least for now. It is simply an upright roof based vehicle that looks sort of like a SUV with the Chevy Cobalt small car design as the vehicle's real basis, and not the sturdy truck design that one will find in real Chevrolet SUVs such as the Suburban line.
GM has had some worry over lagging sales until the recent sales incentives upticked sales for America's largest vehicle maker recently. But some will like the HHR, although the styling does look overdone to me. This new vehicle is worth a look and a test drive at your local Chevrolet dealer if you're in the market for a vehicle similar to the PT Cruiser, with a little more size that offers some utility in a small 176.2 inch long vehicle with a 103.5 inch wheelbase.
Compared to the other retro styled SSR, that has a very high price, and high performance to boot, the HHR looks sort of cool in a retro way, and may become a favorite of some. It is affordable and reasonable and practical enough despite the unusual and overdone styling that Chevrolet may be able to sell 50,000 or more of these HHRs in the next year. If it clicks with the public, a Ford version or import version may come down the turnpike eventually. Whether Chevrolet can find a popular product in a niche market that Chrysler created with the PT Cruiser will be an interesting test. But with many good looking car models from Toyota, Honda and other makers, most car buyers will no doubt opt for attractive cars that look like cars. A small car that looks like a light truck is still the market exception, and not the market rule.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
The Looming Vote On Roberts
The vote on John Roberts is drawing near. And each of the senators find themselves in a position of "having to do, what they have to do".
Ted Kennedy will vote against Roberts on grounds of his views on voting rights. And Senator John Kerry, will vote against Roberts on the grounds that he was evasive in his answers on the questions before the senate. And most likely other democrats who are planning a run for president in 2008, will also vote against Roberts as well.
Those democrats planning to run for president must appeal to their core of voters. They really have little choice. Roberts may be be extremely well qualified, and even sort of likable. He's an attractive choice, as well as briliant. However, his vision of conservatism is something of a mystery. Even some supporters of the far right, like Pat Robertson are unsure of the real vision of the Roberts brand of conservatism. But I feel it's more likely than not, a form of procorporate conservatism, rather than mere social conservatism. And no doubt some decisions will go horriby wrong on the bench and offend significant numbers of wary progressives.
And Republicans, especially those wanting to run for president must be seen as loyal to the party. But even to many Republican moderates, Roberts appears to be an acceptable as well as well qualified choice.
That's the whole dilema for senators unsure about Roberts. He'll have some decisions for decades that will almost certainly offend the values of progressives, yet he's one of the strongest choices in years in that he's so brilliant and well qualified. And if most democrats use too much fire now, they waste this fire for the second, if not more important seat to replace moderate-conservative Sandra Day O'Connor.
Roberts will be confirmed. And by an overwelming vote as well. The second seat should be the real main event. Replacing the conservative Rehnquist with the conservative Roberts is no net ideological change. But the issue of court balance will be far more important with the second seat. Yet the political reality is that democrats are a weak minority in the senate right now. They can't hardly stop a republican majority from forming to approve almost any choice, except an obvious awful choice like a Bork. All of this process, with democrats sitting near helpless at the sidelines make 2006 and 2008 critical make or break election years for the democrats. It's crunch time for democrats to rebound or begin to go the way of the defunct Whig party.
Ted Kennedy will vote against Roberts on grounds of his views on voting rights. And Senator John Kerry, will vote against Roberts on the grounds that he was evasive in his answers on the questions before the senate. And most likely other democrats who are planning a run for president in 2008, will also vote against Roberts as well.
Those democrats planning to run for president must appeal to their core of voters. They really have little choice. Roberts may be be extremely well qualified, and even sort of likable. He's an attractive choice, as well as briliant. However, his vision of conservatism is something of a mystery. Even some supporters of the far right, like Pat Robertson are unsure of the real vision of the Roberts brand of conservatism. But I feel it's more likely than not, a form of procorporate conservatism, rather than mere social conservatism. And no doubt some decisions will go horriby wrong on the bench and offend significant numbers of wary progressives.
And Republicans, especially those wanting to run for president must be seen as loyal to the party. But even to many Republican moderates, Roberts appears to be an acceptable as well as well qualified choice.
That's the whole dilema for senators unsure about Roberts. He'll have some decisions for decades that will almost certainly offend the values of progressives, yet he's one of the strongest choices in years in that he's so brilliant and well qualified. And if most democrats use too much fire now, they waste this fire for the second, if not more important seat to replace moderate-conservative Sandra Day O'Connor.
Roberts will be confirmed. And by an overwelming vote as well. The second seat should be the real main event. Replacing the conservative Rehnquist with the conservative Roberts is no net ideological change. But the issue of court balance will be far more important with the second seat. Yet the political reality is that democrats are a weak minority in the senate right now. They can't hardly stop a republican majority from forming to approve almost any choice, except an obvious awful choice like a Bork. All of this process, with democrats sitting near helpless at the sidelines make 2006 and 2008 critical make or break election years for the democrats. It's crunch time for democrats to rebound or begin to go the way of the defunct Whig party.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Email Scams Abound In Era Of Bush Justice Department
Anyone who owns a computer has to be disgusted that each day their Email inbox is filled with Email scams and phish Emails that are part of identity theft scams. These form of electronic crimes have become a huge growth industry under the inept Justice Department, mismaged first by John Ashcroft and now by Alberto Gonzales, whose only real job qualification is a friendship with George Bush.
Day after day, month after month, year after year, the number of these criminal scams continue to grow, yet the Justice Department is absolutely inept at bringing to justice these scams that steal billions from Americans every year.
In Florida, a major Cuban cocaine dealer was well known for operating about 20 different scams including phony credit card, automobile club, health care and other frauds. He eventually was arrested for cocaine dealing, however the Bush Justice Department allows his scam enterprises to continue to function despite complaints that probably number in the thousands by now. These phony businesses routinely rob persons of bank funds and offer virtually nothing in return.
Circuitmicro, a company that claims to sell computers and merchandise on credit, uses the Internet to extract funds from the bank accounts of unsuspecting persons who merely apply for company credit. This scam operates from a second floor small office suite, yet claims to be an "industry leader". There is no room for major warehousing of computers, stereos, DVD players, big screen TVs, etc. in this small second floor office. It is a scam that has drawn many posted complaints on the Internet, including those who paid as much as much as $800 for merchandise and who claim to have received nothing so far.
Unwanted Email spams are sent to millions of Email addresses each day, some offering links to material that purports to offer sexual content of children as young as 5 years old. Yet instead of a Bush Justice Department crackdown on these child molester criminal Websites, Alberto Gonzales is diverting attention from prosecution of these deviant child molestors and instead concentrating efforts to use the full weight of the Justice Department and FBI to go after adult entertainment Websites that are intended solely for consenting adults. Gonzales is obsessed that some may be finding solitary sexual gratification with such sleazy adult entertainment, while the far worse crime of the sexual abuse of children too young for even grade school is openly tolerated and ignored by the Bush Justice Department. Congress even earmarked funding to be spent to attack adult entertaiment this year, after the Janet Jackson political hysteria they created from the Superbowl incident, while crimes against young children are ignored and even tolerated by both Congress and the Bush Administration.
Fake Ebay phish scams are another popular criminal target. Almost anyone who has ever sold a single unwanted household item on Ebay, soon finds the security of the Ebay network so lacking in security, that on a daily basis phish Emails to update credit card numbers are filling their Email inboxes. Again the Bush Justice Department is asleep on the job.
And the "Nigerian widow letter" is another popular Email scam, in which a supposed widow from Nigeria needs to deposit funds in an American bank account for some crazy legal reason, and earnest money must be put up by the duped.
Email scams and Emails that link to claimed child sexual content are a major growth industry under the Bush Justice Department. Just like FEMA, where the inept friend of Bush, Michael Brown, whose only real qualification was that of an attorney for the International Arabian Horse Association, John Ashcroft's only real qualification was that he was such a poor senator that he could not defeat a dead candidate on the ballot, and was a partisan GOP favorite. And Alberto Gonzales is merely a Texas attorney pal of Bush, another friend wholly unqualified to serve as the top justice official for the U.S.
Just like Katrina was a disaster, many face daily disaster as crooks are allowed by the inept Bush Adminstration to steal billions from bank accounts, credit cards, identity theft and other criminal acts. It's too bad the U.S. does not have a vote of no confidence like other states. This Bush Administration needs quick replacement, and the next administration has their work cut out to repair all the damage to America this inept administration has caused. Compared to almost any Presidential administration, this Bush one is pure amateur night stuff.
Day after day, month after month, year after year, the number of these criminal scams continue to grow, yet the Justice Department is absolutely inept at bringing to justice these scams that steal billions from Americans every year.
In Florida, a major Cuban cocaine dealer was well known for operating about 20 different scams including phony credit card, automobile club, health care and other frauds. He eventually was arrested for cocaine dealing, however the Bush Justice Department allows his scam enterprises to continue to function despite complaints that probably number in the thousands by now. These phony businesses routinely rob persons of bank funds and offer virtually nothing in return.
Circuitmicro, a company that claims to sell computers and merchandise on credit, uses the Internet to extract funds from the bank accounts of unsuspecting persons who merely apply for company credit. This scam operates from a second floor small office suite, yet claims to be an "industry leader". There is no room for major warehousing of computers, stereos, DVD players, big screen TVs, etc. in this small second floor office. It is a scam that has drawn many posted complaints on the Internet, including those who paid as much as much as $800 for merchandise and who claim to have received nothing so far.
Unwanted Email spams are sent to millions of Email addresses each day, some offering links to material that purports to offer sexual content of children as young as 5 years old. Yet instead of a Bush Justice Department crackdown on these child molester criminal Websites, Alberto Gonzales is diverting attention from prosecution of these deviant child molestors and instead concentrating efforts to use the full weight of the Justice Department and FBI to go after adult entertainment Websites that are intended solely for consenting adults. Gonzales is obsessed that some may be finding solitary sexual gratification with such sleazy adult entertainment, while the far worse crime of the sexual abuse of children too young for even grade school is openly tolerated and ignored by the Bush Justice Department. Congress even earmarked funding to be spent to attack adult entertaiment this year, after the Janet Jackson political hysteria they created from the Superbowl incident, while crimes against young children are ignored and even tolerated by both Congress and the Bush Administration.
Fake Ebay phish scams are another popular criminal target. Almost anyone who has ever sold a single unwanted household item on Ebay, soon finds the security of the Ebay network so lacking in security, that on a daily basis phish Emails to update credit card numbers are filling their Email inboxes. Again the Bush Justice Department is asleep on the job.
And the "Nigerian widow letter" is another popular Email scam, in which a supposed widow from Nigeria needs to deposit funds in an American bank account for some crazy legal reason, and earnest money must be put up by the duped.
Email scams and Emails that link to claimed child sexual content are a major growth industry under the Bush Justice Department. Just like FEMA, where the inept friend of Bush, Michael Brown, whose only real qualification was that of an attorney for the International Arabian Horse Association, John Ashcroft's only real qualification was that he was such a poor senator that he could not defeat a dead candidate on the ballot, and was a partisan GOP favorite. And Alberto Gonzales is merely a Texas attorney pal of Bush, another friend wholly unqualified to serve as the top justice official for the U.S.
Just like Katrina was a disaster, many face daily disaster as crooks are allowed by the inept Bush Adminstration to steal billions from bank accounts, credit cards, identity theft and other criminal acts. It's too bad the U.S. does not have a vote of no confidence like other states. This Bush Administration needs quick replacement, and the next administration has their work cut out to repair all the damage to America this inept administration has caused. Compared to almost any Presidential administration, this Bush one is pure amateur night stuff.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Even PAC Money From The Airlines Couldn't Keep 4 Of 7 Out Of Bankruptcy
Despite air travel that is near the pre9/11 record levels, even big PAC money to the political parties and candidates hasn't been able to keep 4 of 7 airlines out of bankruptcy. Republican candidates have been the biggest beneficiaries of this PAC money, intended to influence the political process to give new tax breaks to the airline industry for fuel costs.
For the 2004 election year, 63% of all airline PAC money went to GOP candidates. American, Northwest, Continental, Delta, Southwest and United all have PACs. They donated $265,000, 186,000, 145,629, $91,500, $61,500 and $111,500. This amounts to 63%, 59%, 72%, 77%, 60% and 42% per PAC to GOP candidates.
Individual major donations were given to: George Bush, $24,998, Tom Daschle, $23,000 and Dennis Hastert $17,000.
Politics is a big money machine. The voters are only a small factor in a system dominated by big money to help drive public opinion with a flood of advertising to groom the voters to vote in a certain manner that will have the most financial benefits for the corporations and their PACS. It is a system of investment and return for corporations. Just like investment in Wall Street stocks and bonds, investments in politics are intended to reap a financial return for the investors. Some political partisans of either party seem to be unaware of this honest fact. But it is how the American political system unfortunately functions. The voters really have little clout in this system. They are a mere end product form of public opinion that must be moved by Madison Avenue slickly arranged advertising meant to move public opinion in the direction of the candidates or party that the PAC has made their investment in. And psychologically planned ads to promote certain responses in voters work just as well as they do when being used to sell other products.
For the 2004 election year, 63% of all airline PAC money went to GOP candidates. American, Northwest, Continental, Delta, Southwest and United all have PACs. They donated $265,000, 186,000, 145,629, $91,500, $61,500 and $111,500. This amounts to 63%, 59%, 72%, 77%, 60% and 42% per PAC to GOP candidates.
Individual major donations were given to: George Bush, $24,998, Tom Daschle, $23,000 and Dennis Hastert $17,000.
Politics is a big money machine. The voters are only a small factor in a system dominated by big money to help drive public opinion with a flood of advertising to groom the voters to vote in a certain manner that will have the most financial benefits for the corporations and their PACS. It is a system of investment and return for corporations. Just like investment in Wall Street stocks and bonds, investments in politics are intended to reap a financial return for the investors. Some political partisans of either party seem to be unaware of this honest fact. But it is how the American political system unfortunately functions. The voters really have little clout in this system. They are a mere end product form of public opinion that must be moved by Madison Avenue slickly arranged advertising meant to move public opinion in the direction of the candidates or party that the PAC has made their investment in. And psychologically planned ads to promote certain responses in voters work just as well as they do when being used to sell other products.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Portland Race For The Cure Draws 45,000 And Raises $2 Million
45,000 participated in Portland's Race For The Cure, to help support breast cancer research for the Susan G. Komen foundation. This was the most successful event held in America to aid women against this deadly disease.
While so many were willing to run in this race, and so much money was raised, still there were signs all over Portland of others who completely indifferent and were actively trying to undermine the efforts of those seeking to save the lives of women.
All over Portland, smokers continued to smoke in public places. This not only endangers the smokers, but the secondhand smoke continues to be a leading cause of breast cancer in America. A new study released in March in California cited a 90% increase in breast cancer amongst women subjected to secondhand smoke from cigarettes.
Secondhand smoke contains 4,000 dangerous poisons, 0% of which are good for humans. Secondhand smoke is inhaled through the mouth and absorbed through the tongue into the body and the poisons settle in all organs. Traces of nicotine drug markers can be found in the urine of children who are in hospitals for ear infection surgery to install ear tubes for middle ear infections caused by secondhand cigarette smoke. These poisons in secondhand cigarette smoke also reach the breasts and collect poisons in the milk, and mutate the surrounding tissues causing cancer. Yet few local or state governments have moved to ban cigarette smoking in public. The average nonsmoker who spends anytime outside has their body and blood stream loaded up all day long by those who smoke in public with the 4,000 poisons, not only causing tongue discomfort, burning throat and sinuses, burning lungs, ear infections, and other other short term illnesses that last for a few days, but also have years shaved off their lives by smokers. The Bible states that a human life is supposed to be 120 years. Yet many Americans live less than 80, and cigarettes are a leading factor.
Smokers currently murder as many as 73,400 nonsmokers each year in the U.S., as well as promote a loss of productivity and increased sick days by promoting an epidemic of asthma and cancer as well other health problems as a high cost of their dirty addiction to American society.
Cigarette companies deliberately put additives in their products to make them more addictive. And since the cigarette smoker is a form of drug addict, they often cannot control their nicotine drug addiction and are compulsed to use their drug in congested public places and cause much sickness and injury to nonsmokers such as those with asthma, or are allergic to tobacco products. One cigarette used in public could fill an entire hospital with persons with asthma or other health problems if enough persons sensitive to secondhand smoke would come in contact with the poisons emitted from this highly poisonous addictive drug delivery system.
The only way to protect nonsmokers and reduce breast cancer and other needless deaths and injuries in nonsmokers is to ban all public smoking and restrict it only to one's one home. And for lawsuits to target the cigarette companies making them liable for the billions in health care injuries and damage for the needless and negligent injuries and deaths to nonsmokers. And lawsuits against individual retailers and even individual smokers for health injuries would further help to prevent needless deaths. There are medical devices for nicotine drug addicts such as nicotine drug patches as well as psychiatric services offered by many health plans. And as many as possible of these drug addicts should seek voluntary psychiatric or medical care to prevent their drug addiction from promotting the continued harm and death of nonsmokers. But at some point, mandatory laws against public smoking, as well as court mandated nicotine drug treatment to curb public smoking need to be implemented.
Many very nice women who survived breast cancer, or who know or love someone who survived this terrible illness, gave up Sunday to sacrifice to save other women's lives. It's more than high time for smokers to honor their efforts and stop putting a cloud of cigarette smoke over the city of Portland each and every day. This beautiful city is not an ashtray or some sleazy tavern. Often the sky is grey in this city, which sits in a valley, and fills up like a bowl with cigarette smoke each day. Once honest efforts to put an end to this preventable cause of breast cancer, asthma, ear infections, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and other needless deaths is brought under control through law and lawsuits, Portlanders as well as all Americans will be able to breathe healthier and more children will find it safe to play outside.
While so many were willing to run in this race, and so much money was raised, still there were signs all over Portland of others who completely indifferent and were actively trying to undermine the efforts of those seeking to save the lives of women.
All over Portland, smokers continued to smoke in public places. This not only endangers the smokers, but the secondhand smoke continues to be a leading cause of breast cancer in America. A new study released in March in California cited a 90% increase in breast cancer amongst women subjected to secondhand smoke from cigarettes.
Secondhand smoke contains 4,000 dangerous poisons, 0% of which are good for humans. Secondhand smoke is inhaled through the mouth and absorbed through the tongue into the body and the poisons settle in all organs. Traces of nicotine drug markers can be found in the urine of children who are in hospitals for ear infection surgery to install ear tubes for middle ear infections caused by secondhand cigarette smoke. These poisons in secondhand cigarette smoke also reach the breasts and collect poisons in the milk, and mutate the surrounding tissues causing cancer. Yet few local or state governments have moved to ban cigarette smoking in public. The average nonsmoker who spends anytime outside has their body and blood stream loaded up all day long by those who smoke in public with the 4,000 poisons, not only causing tongue discomfort, burning throat and sinuses, burning lungs, ear infections, and other other short term illnesses that last for a few days, but also have years shaved off their lives by smokers. The Bible states that a human life is supposed to be 120 years. Yet many Americans live less than 80, and cigarettes are a leading factor.
Smokers currently murder as many as 73,400 nonsmokers each year in the U.S., as well as promote a loss of productivity and increased sick days by promoting an epidemic of asthma and cancer as well other health problems as a high cost of their dirty addiction to American society.
Cigarette companies deliberately put additives in their products to make them more addictive. And since the cigarette smoker is a form of drug addict, they often cannot control their nicotine drug addiction and are compulsed to use their drug in congested public places and cause much sickness and injury to nonsmokers such as those with asthma, or are allergic to tobacco products. One cigarette used in public could fill an entire hospital with persons with asthma or other health problems if enough persons sensitive to secondhand smoke would come in contact with the poisons emitted from this highly poisonous addictive drug delivery system.
The only way to protect nonsmokers and reduce breast cancer and other needless deaths and injuries in nonsmokers is to ban all public smoking and restrict it only to one's one home. And for lawsuits to target the cigarette companies making them liable for the billions in health care injuries and damage for the needless and negligent injuries and deaths to nonsmokers. And lawsuits against individual retailers and even individual smokers for health injuries would further help to prevent needless deaths. There are medical devices for nicotine drug addicts such as nicotine drug patches as well as psychiatric services offered by many health plans. And as many as possible of these drug addicts should seek voluntary psychiatric or medical care to prevent their drug addiction from promotting the continued harm and death of nonsmokers. But at some point, mandatory laws against public smoking, as well as court mandated nicotine drug treatment to curb public smoking need to be implemented.
Many very nice women who survived breast cancer, or who know or love someone who survived this terrible illness, gave up Sunday to sacrifice to save other women's lives. It's more than high time for smokers to honor their efforts and stop putting a cloud of cigarette smoke over the city of Portland each and every day. This beautiful city is not an ashtray or some sleazy tavern. Often the sky is grey in this city, which sits in a valley, and fills up like a bowl with cigarette smoke each day. Once honest efforts to put an end to this preventable cause of breast cancer, asthma, ear infections, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and other needless deaths is brought under control through law and lawsuits, Portlanders as well as all Americans will be able to breathe healthier and more children will find it safe to play outside.
For North Korea, The Devil Is In The Details
North Korea's plan to use a nuclear threat to extort aid from the world community has finally paid off. A breakthrough in the six party talks have finally resulted in a North Korean "promise" to follow the terms once agreed to under a previous agreement, in exchange for a promise of the United States not to attack as well as massive aid from members of the six party talks. But if food or other aid is price of peace, then that cost is far preferable to the costs of nuclear war.
North Korea is very poor, and definately needs food or other important aid. And any agreement that limits the proliferation of nuclear arms and prevents possible war is very important.
However if the hardline Stalinist Communist leadership of North Korea really wants to better their people, then some sort of talks to peacefully reunite the two Korea's, where the prosperity of the South could spread to the North.
Just like the two Germany's, with the Western portion living in the modern age, and the Eastern path caught in a 1950's level of disadvantage, it would take years for the prosperity of South Korea to rebuild the North into a modern state.
South Korea is such an economically strong nation that South Korean banks have bailed out ailing American corporations with their banking institutions. And even the American government is bailed out by billions in bonds held by South Korean banks and investors. This level of prosperity and the peaceful reuniting of the two Korea's is the real long term key to peace with North Korea, nuclear security, and the end of starvation and poverty in the North.
The Communist government of the North Korea has been a grand failure. Compared to the South, the North is a complete poverty case, only able to support itself by the sale and transfer of arms or nuclear technology around the world. The peaceful prosperity of South Korea built on the sale of automobiles, electronics such as VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and other goods is a far better system, and far preferable to the arms trade of North Korea.
North Korea is very poor, and definately needs food or other important aid. And any agreement that limits the proliferation of nuclear arms and prevents possible war is very important.
However if the hardline Stalinist Communist leadership of North Korea really wants to better their people, then some sort of talks to peacefully reunite the two Korea's, where the prosperity of the South could spread to the North.
Just like the two Germany's, with the Western portion living in the modern age, and the Eastern path caught in a 1950's level of disadvantage, it would take years for the prosperity of South Korea to rebuild the North into a modern state.
South Korea is such an economically strong nation that South Korean banks have bailed out ailing American corporations with their banking institutions. And even the American government is bailed out by billions in bonds held by South Korean banks and investors. This level of prosperity and the peaceful reuniting of the two Korea's is the real long term key to peace with North Korea, nuclear security, and the end of starvation and poverty in the North.
The Communist government of the North Korea has been a grand failure. Compared to the South, the North is a complete poverty case, only able to support itself by the sale and transfer of arms or nuclear technology around the world. The peaceful prosperity of South Korea built on the sale of automobiles, electronics such as VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and other goods is a far better system, and far preferable to the arms trade of North Korea.
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