I discovered the most informative time line regarding the history of tobacco litigation in this country. http://www.tobacco.org/resources/history/Tobacco_History20-2.html

In 1951 studies began to come to the fore demonstrating that smoking may be hazardous to your health. After a couple years following  publication of these epiphanies, the tobacco companies got together and attempted to stem the tide, so to speak. 

 

·  53-12-15: BUSINESS: Tobacco Execs Plan Counterattack on Smoking Studies. Plaza Hotel, New York City: Tobacco executives meet to find a way to deal with recent scientific data pointing to the health hazards of cigarettes. Participants included John Hill of Hill & Knowlton, his key aides, and the following tobacco company presidents: Paul D. Hahn (ATC), O. Parker McComas (PM), Joseph F. Cullman (B&H), J. Whitney Peterson, U.S. Tobacco Co. Here's the text of BACKGROUND MATERIAL ON THE CIGARETTE INDUSTRY CLIENT, the H&K memo covering the meeting, and here's the document in .pdf format, Minnesota Trial Exhibit 18905

·  1953-12-28: BUSINESS: Hill meets again with tobacco execs to report on his initial study of the smoking and health problem. 

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A not so new argument is being made on MSM concerning the new Health care legislation as the Senate decides today whether or not THEY CAN EVEN DEBATE THE GODDAMN THING. (blesses himself and as he curses all repubs in the Senate)

That it is nothing new is evident in an article in the WSJ in December of last year:

Americans will not put up with such limits, nor will our elected representatives. Mr. Daschle himself proves this. He punts the hard decisions about rationing to an unelected board. Yet his main proposals are not only about expanding subsidized programs to cover more people but about adding the massively expensive benefit categories of mental health, which has a strong lobby behind it, and long-term care, which is important to the broad middle class. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123060332638041525.html

The article was attacking Senator Daschle who was spear heading the health care reform front for the incoming White House crew. I found this new take on the same crap in a conservative blog today:

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Frank awoke as part of his sofa. He looked around and after a couple minutes figured out why he, not so deep down, wished he could just remain part of a sofa.

This vacation thing has got to end before it kills me, he thought as he slugged to the kitchen to fix coffee on his way to the toilet. And I also need new hobbies. A naked woman once in a while could really do me no harm he mused as he held his masculinity once more in his hand.

He grabbed his coffee and wandered toward his PC with a smoke hanging out of his mouth. Where is the packet? he thought. Oh jeeez it could be anywhere. Frank just got on line reviewing his continual NORTHCO memo when there was a knock at the front door.

As he opened the door a rather tall man with a fashionable hat and overcoat stood with his hand out.

Hello Frank.

The guy looked familiar so he simply shook his hand, and kept staring at him.

Remember me Frank?

Dr. Cliché?

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http://archaeology.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=archaeology&cdn=education&tm=4368&f=10&tt=8&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.svf.uib.no/sfu/blombos/

The earliest known European cave paintings date to 32,000 years ago. The purpose of the cave paintings is not known, and may never be. The evidence suggests that they were not merely decorations of living areas, since the caves in which they have been found do not have signs of ongoing habitation. Also, they are often in areas of caves that aren't easily accessed. Some theories hold that they may have been a way of transmitting information, while other theories ascribe them a religious or ceremonial purpose. This assortment of images was found at Oddee.com, where there is also short text accompanying them. Additional information can be found here. 

 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://coquinadaily.com/daily/imagesdaily/080305/cave%2520paintings/a172lascaux1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://coquinadaily.com/daily/htmldaily/080305.shtml&usg=__tBS_Hb8UueKr1sPiK1W7DY1u1RY=&h=480&w=312&sz=32&hl=en&start=12&sig2=OAtaLAazG6JVycqwiUcmbQ&um=1&tbnid=18hy2tSO13-n4M:&tbnh=129&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcave%2Bpaintings%2Bfrance%26hl%3

Den%26rlz%3D1B3GGGL_enUS324US325%26sa%3DX%26um%3D

1&ei=SaAES7biBeq4nAfWh-0-

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Metadata

File:Musee de la bible et Terre Sainte 001.JPG

What exactly is a lie? Here are some definitions from different sources:

1. A false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood.
2. Something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture;
3. An inaccurate or false statement.

 

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lie

 

1. A gross falsification or misrepresentation of the facts, with constand repetition and repetition and embellishment to lend credibility.
2. The propaganda technique, as in politics, of using this device.

 

http://www.holysmoke.org/icr0cult.htm

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T43m6dcMk6U

 

Frank hit the scotch a little too hard that afternoon, the afternoon after he had met the bureau chief. Let's see, how many contractual provisions I did break so far.

I spoke with an investigator for the State. Not just any investigator but THE investigator.

I spoke with him without notifying NORTHCO or without even the benefit of counsel.

I really gave away 'trade secrets' including information concerning secret governmental contracts. Was it enough information to make him guilty of violating some State Secrets Act?

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Once upon a time, Bill O'Reilly did not get along real well with Al Franken. Now Al, my hero had written a couple books. One of them was entitled: Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot. I loved that book although I lost it somewhere along the way. It was the only book I had read that took on Limbaugh and of course it was funny.

It was written in 1996 and really was his first political book. If you read the forwards to his political series you will find that Al is a Harvard Alumnus and that he goes back to his old Alma Mater to pick up a research staff for his books. They checked facts for him, documented every damn sentence, provided a book appendix as well as a separate appendix for the publisher and it ends up being a good deal all the way around.  First, the staff is talented, educated and happy to be mentioned in a best seller.

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Old Sparky, the electric chair used at Sing Sing prison


Lethal injection as a modus operandi is back in the news. http://www.law.berkeley.edu/clinics/dpclinic/LethalInjection/LI/Ohio/gov.uscourts.ohsd.98761.601.0.pdf

http://www.law.berkeley.edu/clinics/dpclinic/LethalInjection/index.html

Which always takes me to a closely linked issue:

Animal euthanasia (from the Greek meaning "good death") is the act of inducing humane death in an animal.[1] Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress.

In domesticated animals, this process is commonly referred to by the euphemisms "lay down," "put down," "put to sleep," "put out of its/his/her misery," or "sent away to the farm." Horses are euthanized if they suffer from an intractable illness or a complicated injury.

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                                                                                    Original 1976 theatrical poster

Once upon a time a little girl, the prettiest little girl found fame and fortune in the screwiest manner. Carrie Prejean came to be the heir to the crown of the great Bess Meyerson.

What looks like a complete meltdown after losing her crown has become the best thing that ever could have happened to her.It seems that Almighty God has asked  Carrie Prejean  to stick up for Him.

 

In September-a full five months after the Miss USA pageant-Prejean was still talking about The Most Important Question of Our Time. "I knew that God had a plan for me that night," she told the audience at the Values Voter Summit. "God chose me for that moment because He knew that I would not only be the one to stick up for Him, and for the truth, but also, He knew that I am strong enough to get through all of the junk that I have been through." Truly, her struggle is an inspiration to all who have suffered adversity

 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-12/miss-popularity-the-six-craziest-carrie-prejean-speeches/2/

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Langdon left Frank after a couple hours. It is harder to investigate when you do not have intimidation at your disposal.

Fuck subpoenas. Where the hell is my probable cause anyway? He came to some conclusions on his way back to his office.

First, he would notify the FBI formally and informally.  I mean animals who glow in the dark; man-eating animals for chrissakes. And there is only one possible source of all this poison and NORTHCO is the only defense contractor in the area.

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WHAT? ME WORRY?

George W. Bush has his own library. He spent more hours planning that library than he ever did planning anything else during his eight years as President of the United States of America.

It contains the four books he actually read, four hundred books he pretends to have read, and four thousand books that look good in a Presidential Library.

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Al Capone

All righty then. The House of Representatives has passed a health care act that is 2000 pages long, and we all wish to know what happens now.

Please take time to at least check out Ducky's take on this bill. http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/oldengoldendecoy/2009/11/health-reform-bill-implementation-2010-or-2013.php

Yeah, I already know that all women must mandatorily bear babies now. But I must move on. Women are up in arms and up in legs and for chrissakes this has to be fixed. I watched Kitt Bonds (what the fuck kind of name is kitt bonds anyway, sounds like a porno queen but I am attempting to get more info from LarryH on this issue) on Stewart last night and he thinks that any woman he impregnates should have his baby and all, and I hate those people.

At any rate we have a bill that was passed by the House of Representatives. Now the bill GOES to the Senate. No ifs, and or buts, the damn bill goes to the Senate.

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Our detective was hard at work in his office, trying to sort things out. Now we have three more murders outside of Pierre and just outside of a giant stag.

We are all just poor players on the stag.

Jeeeeeeeeez I am so glib.

How can I just ignore what goes on two hundred miles from here, when I have a corpse with its poor head bitten off? We gots real problems, Langdon mused.

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On a more important note:

 

There was a monumental, historical step taken yesterday in the People's House. There were sooooo many issues involved that we could do three hundred blogs (not that we could not find three hundred blogs on the subject over this calendar year) on the two thousand pages of legislation. And each blog could take a different angle.

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Representative Shadegg:

 

I wish this was my granddaughter," Shadegg said. "This is Maddie. Maddie believes in freedom. Maddie likes America because we have freedom here. And Maddie believes in patient choice health care. She asked to come here today to say she doesn't want the government to take over health care. She wants to keep her plan."

The chamber was either a bit freaked out or slightly humored. It was difficult to say.

"Mr. Speaker that was a remarkable child and a great ventriloquist," responded Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/07/house-health-care-vote-br_n_349468.html&cp

Shortly thereafter, Representative John Boner brought his raccoon up to the dais:

 

Mr. Speaker, this is somebody's grandson; not my grandson. But this raccoon, sure as I am standing here today in the never ending fight for truth, justice and the American way,  had a mother and a father. The  raccoon's parents had their own parents. And, therefore, this raccoon is somebody's grandson.

 

Now political correctness will not allow me to refer to these critters as 'coons' anymore, but suffice it to say that they are really not the masked bandits as they were once portrayed. I will just refer to him as Rush, the magic raccoon.

 

Now Rush was born free in the forest. Rush was free from government interference and you can see that ole Rush is healthy, as healthy as a raccoon can ever be. Rush is free to see any vet his heart desires.

 

Of course he has to work hard and save up enough acorns--oops wrong word in this context--enough eggs to feed himself and his family.  But Rush is free to visit that vet of choice and they can work out the details of payment. It is up to them. Not you or me or the govement.

 

I am so sick of all of this I could puke. Rush knows that he has to keep up his health, he cannot get too fat, he is not allowed to be come lazy. He cannot feign 'mental' debilitation.

 

Rush here is THE TRUE AMERICAN.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

I watched CSPAN this morning. A caller quoted some repub as saying that the Health Care Bill throws the baby out with the bathwater.

 

Shaking, the caller noted that he was one of the 47 million uninsured in this country and that he did not like to be referred to

 

AS BATHWATER.