Politics trumps science once again

One of our most recent appointments to the FDA, Lester Crawford, got himself confirmed by promising to make a decision concerning approval of the so-called "Plan B Pill" contraceptive by Sept. 1, 2005. Well, he made a decision this week. He decided to put off making the decision. It makes me think of that song by Rush from back in the day. "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." Lester must be familiar with the song. Susan Wood, Director of the FDA's Office of Women's Health, resigned as a result of the decision, stating: I can no longer serve as staff when scientific and clinical evidence, fully evaluated and recommended for approval by the professional staff here, has been overruled. . . .The recent decision announced by the Commissioner about emergency contraception, which continues to limit women's access to a product that would reduce unintended pregnancies and reduce abortions, is contrary to my core commitment to improving and advancing women's health. When politics trumps science, nobody wins. The emergency contraception would have actually reduced abortions in this country, and had the potential to greatly reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, including those resulting from violent crimes like rape and incest. Kinda makes me think of how Vioxx got approved. Maybe it was profits before people, eh? Can you really buy approval of a drug these days? Well, you can if the FDA makes decisions based on politics rather than on science.

My Own Personal Bud Light Commercial

Cue 80’s style cheesy music, beginning with drum fill . . . Narrator: “Bud Light Presents, Real Men of Genius” David Bickler, singer for Survivor sings (with feeling): “Real Men of Genius” Narrator: “Today, we salute you, Mr. Big Important Point Misser” Bickler sings (again, with feeling), “Mr. Big Important Point Misser” (not quite reaching the final, highest note in the melody) Narrator: “There are important points that people need to make. You never seem to get them. If important points were snakes, you’d be snake food.” Bickler sings (as if his life depended on it): “You gotta pay attention” Narrator: “When it comes to missing a boat, you never even saw it leave. In fact, you got lost on your way to the marina.” Bickler sings (as high as he can, with feeling): “Should we turn here?” Narrator: “Don’t think you’re dense? Please. You’re denser than than the cores of a million black holes.” Female backup singers chime in (sassily): “Do you get it now?” Narrator: “So crack open a nice cold Bud Light, Mr. Big Important Point Misser. In fact, feel free to crack one open this Sunday morning, right in the middle of the sermon, ‘cause you won’t get it anyway.” Bickler (winding down): "Mr. Big Important Point Misser" Narrator: “Bud Light Beer, Anheuser-Busch, Cartersville, GA” If you need to hear an ad for context, click here.

I may crap my pants if I see another disturbing National Weather Service bulletin about Hurricane Katrina

The bulletins coming out of Louisiana are so terrifying, I thought they were a hoax. So, to check it out, I surfed on over to the National Weather Service and saw them for myself. Unless someone hacked into the site, they are apparently not a hoax. I went to http://weather.noaa.gov, searched under Louisiana, and then used the "select a county or area" pop-up to go to Lower Plaquemines. Here's one just floated up in the last couple of hours: * AT 1137 AM CDT...WIDESPREAD FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE PARISHES ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE PONCHARTRAIN IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA...AS WELL AS IN PORTIONS OF PLAQUEMINES PARISH. THIS CONTINUES TO BE AN EXTREMELY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. THOSE SEEKING REFUGE IN ATTICS AND ROOF-TOPS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO TAKE THE NECESSARY TOOLS FOR SURVIVAL. FOR EXAMPLE...THOSE GOING INTO ATTICS SHOULD TRY TO TAKE AN AXE OR HATCHET WITH THEM SO THEY CAN CUT THEIR WAY ONTO THE ROOF TO AVOID DROWNING SHOULD RISING FLOOD WATERS CONTINUE TO RISE INTO THE ATTIC. RESCUE MAY NOT COME UNTIL THE STRONG WINDS ABATE AS DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA MOVES NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. And here's another: URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1205 PM CDT MON AUG 29 2005 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA MOVING ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI DEVASTATING DAMAGE CONTINUES ALONG ITS PATH KATRINA...NOW A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE WITH WINDS OF 125 MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS...WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. ALONG AND NEAR KATRINA'S PATH... EXPECT PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE. ALL WOOD FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME WALL AND ROOF FAILURE. HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A FEW POSSIBLY TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. MANY WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK. POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DE-FOLIATED. THE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH BELOW HURRICANE STRENGTH FROM SOUTH TO NORTH THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. It sounds pretty bad. I hope it's not as bad as it sounds. BTW, who on earth has Internet access in the middle of a hurricane, anyway?

Car camping once again

This time we went to the Manistee Nat'l Forest (near Ludington, MI). Found a nice Nat'l Forest Campsite right on the Little Manistee River. In fact, we launched the canoe trip from the campsite, which was particularly convenient. The river is exquisitely beautiful and wild in most places: The first day, we saw wild turkeys (Ben Franklin's pick for our national bird) foraging right on thru an adjacent campsite: It rained like the dickens the first night, but we stayed dry in our enormous, REI tent. Here is Esme trying to catch raindrops off the side of the tarp: Hannah, and her friend Maureen, got us water from the campsite pump: The second day, we went on a four-hour canoe trip down the Little Manistee River: One of the highlights of the canoe trip was seeing bald eagles (everyone else's pick for the national bird). We saw not just one, but two, both sitting in dead trees along the river: Unfortunately, though we could see them clearly from our boat, the only vantage point for a picture was with the sun to my back, which was farther down the river. I used my digital zoom, but it just doesn't do the majestic bird justice. Here's a cropped closeup (poor resolution): That night, we had a campfire, and the kids roasted marshmallows and made s'mores: We also saw caterpillars, snails, monster trout (but weren't equipped to fish any), and an enormous hornet's nest. We swam in the river. Fun was had by all. And the kids were just wonderful and delightful to be with! This camping trip was a huge success!

No blogging this weekend . . .

Gone Camping !

Pop quiz on racial profiling

It's multiple choice. Feel free to take your time responding. Consider each of the options prior to making your final choice. There is only one correct answer to each question. 1. In 1963, John F. Kennedy was killed by: a. Bill Clinton b. Marcel Marceau c. Batman d. A white American man with military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 2. In 1961, 16 people were killed and 31 wounded by a sniper in the University of Texas tower who was: a. Willie Nelson b. Ringo Starr c. Inspector Clouseau d. A white American male with military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 3. In 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed by: a. Rosa Parks b. The Pope c. James Brown d. A white American male with military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 4. In the 60s, 13 women were brutally strangled to death by: a. The Beach Boys b. Yul Brynner c. Joe Dimaggio d. A white American male with military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 5. My Lai massacre in Viet Nam was performed by: a. Lorne Greene b. Sally Jesse Raphael c. Wilt Chamberlin d. A white American male with military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 6. At Kent State in 1970, 4 students were killed by: a. The Superfriends b. A wild boar c. The Russkies d. White American males with military backgrounds e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 7. In the 1970's, 6 young New Yorkers were killed and 6 more were wounded by the Son of Sam killer who was: a. The Jackson 5 b. Ayatolla Khomeinni c. Marilu Henner d. A white American male with a military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 8. On July 18th, 1984, 21 people were killed and 19 wounded in a McDonald's restaurant by: a. The Burger King b. Fred Rogers c. Wham d. A white American male with a military background e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 9. From 1974-1977 and again in the 80s, Wichita Kansas was terrorized by the brutal slayings and torture of children and others by the "BTK killer" who was: a. Richard Dawson b. Brett Favre c. Tom Wopat d. A white American male with a military background. e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 10. In 1991, 22 people were gunned down at a Luby's in Killen, TX by: a. George W. Bush b. JR Ewing c. Tom Landry d. A white American male with a military background. e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 11. On April 19, 1995 a bomb that tore through the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City killing 168 people - 19 of them children - and injuring hundreds was placed by: a. Buffalo Bill b. Merle Haggard c. Robert Redford d. A white American male with a military background. e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. 12. The "Olympic bombing" in Atlanta in 1996 which killed 1 spectator and wounded 111 others and several abortion clinic bombings (one which killed an off-duty police officer) were perpetrated by: a. Tonya Harding b. Bob Barker c. Kurt Cobain d. A white American male with a military background, e. Male muslim extremists between the ages of 18 and 40. If you selected 'd' as the answer for each question above, you were correct. If not, please review the question again, inserting 'd' as the answer. Over the last 50 years, the vast, vast majority of "terrorist" acts in the U.S. have been committed by white men. If there is a good argument for racial profiling, it would favor singling out white men. The average "middle-eastern appearing" person (whatever that means) is no more likely to be a terrorist, or a criminal, or a mass-murderer than the average Caucasian. Anyone who tells you anything different is wrong, or lying, or frightened for largely irrational reasons. In truth, racial profiling is a *total* waste of time, effort and resources. There is a *reason* why the phrase "you can't judge a book by it's cover" is an overused cliche. Thanks to Mark Maynard, quoting Dan Gillotte (with a few alterations of my own), for the quiz.

How 'bout eyelash extensions?

I didn't mean to leave the ladies out of yesterday's post, so I'm posting today on eyelash extensions. Not that they are limited to women, I just think it may be awhile before men catch on to this trend. Special thanks to Amy for the heads up on the article: Women take a flutter on eyelash extensions Process adds them one lash at a time August 25, 2005 BY ROD STAFFORD HAGWOOD SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL If you are in the habit of batting your eyelashes, then listen up: Eyelash extensions are the latest jeeper to hit peepers. "We had a client who is an actress who does movies in Los Angeles," said Ted Tippmann, a hairstylist at the Strand salon in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "And she came in and we all thought she looked great. She told us that she had the eyelash weave done in L.A., where everyone has it done. It's a big secret with stars and models. I hear J. Lo won't leave home without them." Here in metro Detroit, eyelash extensions are relatively new to Olympia Salon & Spa in Mt. Clemens, where owner Lois Lombardo said they cost about $50 for both eyes. "I try to stay really current, and this is one of the biggest, newest things out there," said Lombardo, who's been offering eyelash extensions for about three months. According to Lombardo, the single-lash process is an improvement over past systems, which she said relied on harsher glues and lasted only a week or so. "It makes the lashes look longer," Lombardo said. "They appear thicker and you don't have to wear mascara with them." Tippmann of Fort Lauderdale said he learned from an instructor in L.A. who gave him one-on-one instruction in March. "You have to add the lashes on one at a time. It takes a steady hand. I can't drink coffee before I do it," he said. Tippmann uses two tweezers, one to isolate the natural lash and the other to grab the extension. He paints the extension with glue before attaching it to the natural lash. "I have to steer it into place while the glue is still wet and make sure it's at the proper angle." Giselle Silverman had an eyelash weave by Tippmann two weeks ago after seeing the effects on an acquaintance and accusing her of having had Botox or an eye job. "I love them," the Fort Lauderdale-based wardrobe stylist said. "I'm already hooked. I have bedroom eyes all the time now. Two of my friends are having it done this week. One is there now." The average person has 20 to 30 lashes per eye, each one about 6 millimeters (about 1/4 -inch) long. After the process, the lashes can be 12 millimeters. The process costs between $100 and $125. Some women need more lashes while other need specifics, such as lashes that fill-in by having three lashes split from one. Eyelash extensions can last for about six weeks, said Tippmann, who performs one or two procedures a day. The owner of the Mary Glancz Salon in Birmingham, however, doesn't share the enthusiasm. "I don't do eyelash extensions and I'll tell you why ...You break your own lashes," said Mary Glancz, whose facial and cosmetic salon offers services like eyelash tinting and permanent eyebrow makeup. Glancz said similar processes were a fad back in the 1970s. She favors using false eyelashes that can be taken off at night. Todd Skog of Todd's Room, a salon in Birmingham, said he's neither for nor against eyelash weaves. But for clients who want to pump up their eyelashes, he recommends using an eyelash curler, extra-thick mascara and products like Lipocils by Talika ($36 for .35 ounces), which is touted as leading to naturally longer, fuller lashes in a month. Free Press staff writer Julie Hinds contributed to this report. From the:

OUCH ! ! -- Men getting waxed

In case you missed the breaking news story of the day today, it appears that more and more men are expressing interest in waxing. Once thought to be the sole domain of women, men are becoming increasingly self-conscious of unwanted hair. Interested in a new manscape? Some spas are offering the service. You can read about it here. So, guys? Thinking of getting one? And women, do you think men oughtta wax?

Vioxx Verdict

I am a trial lawyer. Though I probably wouldn't mind getting one myself, I hate huge jury verdicts. I particularly dislike the media attention and backlash when someone gets a verdict in the hundreds of millions of dollars. That said, I think the jury made the right decision in the Vioxx case. Here's why. First, I know for a fact (and it's not just my opinion, it really is a fact), that runaway juries don't run away unless they are given a very good reason to. Second, I know that the reason runaway juries run away is seldom because of their sympathy for the plaintiff. Juries for the most part don't like lawsuits, aren't enamored of people who file them and the attorneys who represent them (like me), and don't look favorably upon the concept of one person blaming another person or corporation for their woes. Third, the primary reason that runaway juries run away is because they want to punish the defendant, and that defendant is usually represented by complete jackasses who are heartless, uncaring, unfeeling jerks who actually have formed some ridiculous idea that their clients haven't done anything wrong, even though it is clear to just about everyone paying an iota of attention that they have. After hearing from the jury on the Vioxx verdict, it does not seem to be as excessive as I first thought. Apparently overwhelmed with damning evidence, much of it from internal company documents, in the end the jury had no sympathy for Vioxx's manufacturer, Merck. The $229 Million punitive damage award came directly from an internal Merck document. At a point in time when the FDA was considering issuing a warning concerning the cardiac risks associated with Vioxx, Merck employees tried to calculate the profit to be made if the Merck could successfully delay the FDA announcement. I just love this! In this day and age, the corporate stewards at Merck actually put a dollar figure on delaying the release of information that, if released, would prevent a certain number of calculable deaths from their own drug. Boy, I can't wait to see what wonder drug they come up with next, can you? I'll be first in line to try it. Several members of the jury said over the weekend that the enormous punitive award was not for the benefit of the widow of the guy Merck killed, but intead to punish the company by penalizing it the amount it made from keeping patients in the dark about the risk. I must say I don't really have a problem with the figure, now that I know its basis. Anywhoo, it will be reduced to $26 Million under the laws of Texas anyway, so Merck won't be sweating. Instead of getting the obvious message from this fiasco, Merck has instead dug its heels in. Instead of settling these cases and attempting to ensure that every person or family who has been hurt or lost someone because of Merck's profiteering off a risky drug, its lawyers have now said they intend to try every single case one-by-one. Well, in each case, they get to defend the following, which are excerpted from the New York Times: Internal documents showed that scientists at Merck were worried about Vioxx's potential cardiovascular risks as early as 1997, two years before Merck began selling the drug. Merck's top scientist, Dr. Scolnick, concluded in 2000 that after the largest clinical trial ever to study Vioxx, it carried significant cardiac risks. Shortly thereafter, Merck told the FDA that Dr. Scolnick was untrustworthy. A marketing videotape that showed Merck sales representatives being trained to view doctors' concerns about Vioxx's heart risks as "obstacles" to be avoided or dismissed. Another marketing document taught representatives to play "Dodgeball" when doctors voiced concerns. Numerous e-mail messages were found in which Merck scientists discussed their early concerns about Vioxx. Despite evidence from a number of sources, Merck waited until 2004 to pull the drug off the market, only after a clinical trial found irrefutable evidence that Vioxx had heart risks compared with a placebo. Now, federal prosecutors are investigating Merck from a criminal standpoint. It looks like the evidence uncovered by plaintiffs' lawyers has now given the government enough to put some of these crooks in jail. It's about time. After the evidence is out in the public eye and it's now obvious that Merck screwed up majorly, how can it keep saying with a straight face that it believes it acted appropriately? It can't. But it does. In the NYT, their general counsel said: "Friday's verdict in Texas was a disappointment to all of us at Merck because we know we acted responsibly," Merck's general counsel, Kenneth C. Frazier, said in a statement on Saturday. "We believe we have meritorious defenses, and we intend to vigorously defend individual Vioxx cases one by one." Disappointed? Isn't that kinda like O.J. saying he's disappointed he lost the wrongful death suit on behalf of the woman he killed? Just as the NYT did, I liken this to Watergate. The burglary never would have brought down a sitting president. A cover-up would, and did. If Merck had simply let people know that there were significant cardiac risks with their drug the moment they knew, doctors all over the country would have stopped giving them to people in the high risk category. Younger, healthier people would still have been candidates for the drug, and it would still be on the market. Merck could still be making billions of dollars a year from Vioxx, with a simple warning to doctors and patients on the pill bottle. Instead, people are debating whether there will be a Merck just a few short years from now.

Ypsilanti Heritage Festival and Parade

This week is the annual Ypsilanti Heritage Festival and Parade. As an elected member of the Ypsilanti Board of Education, I get to march in the parade (and drag my girls along with me in a wagon). This year, the parade began with rain. Here we are lining up with several of our fine teachers holding a banner that says "Ypsilanti Teachers Care," which they most certainly do. As we marched, it cleared up a bit, and I got a good picture of Eric taking a picture of me marching! Eric, BTW, has an awesome blog! You should visit after reading this post. ;^) As we got to the end, we sat by the side of the road and watched the rest of the parade. There were old-fashioned bikes, with people riding them: And my neighborhood association, the Historic East Side Neighborhood Association (HESNA), which has an awesome web site, had a GREAT float this year: A parade is truly never complete until the tow trucks roll by: In fact, if you were illegally parked during the parade and your car is gone, just call the number on the side of the towtruck, and, after a hefty fee, they will reuinite you! ;^) After the parade, Granny, Papa, the girls and I attended the festival. There was great fun to be had! There was a petting farm. That is Esme enjoying herself by touching the behind of a sheep. Yes, I did make her wash up afterward. That's Hannah's friend Irene with her on the carousel. And there was a huge, blow-up caterpillar for the kids to play in: This is just a small bit of the festival. Next year, you should join us and see for yourself all the great stuff to do in Ypsilanti. I just love this town!

What a week !

I can't believe this week's news. It's seems a bit too bizarre to take. More plane crashes than I can count, some bizarre enough to be featured in an upcoming X-Files movie Sen. Frist (a Harvard-trained cardio-thoracic surgeon, no less) advocates that our public schools teach religion Eminem enters rehab for abusing prescription sleeping pills (can't a multi-millionaire rapper find a better recreational drug?) Courtney Love is ordered into rehab, 'cause she's back on drugs (can I say she's back on them if she never really stopped taking them?) Rockets were fired at motionless, enormous U.S. battleships in Jordan, but they missed The Israelis began kicking their own out of Gaza using their own troops The Vioxx jury in Texas came back with a verdict in excess of the economy of several third world countries Northwest Airlines stated it wants a strike so it can let all the union members go and replace them with lower paid workers Governor Taft of Ohio (a stickler for ethics who fired people for ethics violations) pleads no contest and is convicted of ethics violations, but won't resign (how ethical of him) A general who was separated from his wife and undergoing a pending divorce was fired for refusing to break off an affair Marc Cohn was shot in the head and lives to tell the tale Madonna fell off a horse, breaking several bones Google's doing another IPO to raise another $4 Billion (yes, that's a "B"), and the number of shares to be issued corresponds with the first several digits following the decimal in pi (yes, the ratio of the diameter to the circumfrence of a circle) Oh, and I almost forgot, Jude Law's penis made the rounds on the Internet Have I missed anything? On a lighter note, skip on over to Lu's blog, (where she is spending a lot of time describing her downright randy instant message exchanges with a new found beau), as she lured me into a game. I played the role of Pat. The story's too long to tell if you weren't playing, so I won't. I hope you don't mind. Have a great weekend, all !

Christopher Walken for President?

Well, not really, but it's a pretty good hoax. Check it out here.

Real Men of Genius

Following yesterday's post on the war, I thought some levity might be in order. I came across a link on Rockstar Mommy's blog that has an archive of most of the Bud Light Real Men of Genius radio spots. I had no idea there were so many! And, they are funnier than hell! Unbeknownst to me, when they came up with the ad campaign, one of the writers knew the former singer from Survivor, David Bickler. Being the good sport that he is, he hired on to parody himself in the spots. He does a remarkable job parodying 80s music. My favorites are the Mr. Giant Taco Salad Inventor, Mr. Paranoid of the Ocean Guy, and Mr. Mail Order Bride Orderer, and Mr. 80 SPF Sunblock Wearer. What are yours?

Wartime Sacrifices

I've tried to avoid discussing the war in Iraq, but I am particularly down about it today. I remain perplexed by it all, what with its stated basis having been disproven and the majority of Americans not seeming to care. I'm still not getting why you can't support the troops and be against the war. The troops didn't start it, politicians did, and it looks like many of the troops (especially the weekend warriors in the Nat'l Guard who never bargained for extended stays) don't really want to be there. I say bring them home and let Iraqis govern Iraqis. We figured it out some 200 some years ago, as did the Soviets in the very recent past. They're not stupid. They'll figure it out. We oughtta have a little faith both in them and in the power of democracy. I'm still not getting why criticizing Bush and "his" war in Iraq is "dangerous." I thought that the war was about bringing freedom and democracy to the region. How better than by showing them that the rest of the democratic world disagrees on important stuff all the time, and it has made us stronger, not weaker. I don't get why criticizing our gov't is unpatriotic. Didn't Thomas Jefferson (I consider him a patriot), say: Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Is it only patriotic when we keep it a secret? Ought I be a "secret patriot?" Or was Thomas Jefferson actually a traitor by breaking from the British and writing the Declaration of Independence? The position that speaking out against the war emboldens our enemies makes no sense at all to anyone with a functioning brain. Which is a bigger threat to us? Nuclear weapons in the hands of the North Koreans, who have no economy, can't feed their citizens, and whose leaders don't seem to have any kind of exit strategy or plan B for the trouble they find themselves in? OR, Saddam Hussein's old regime? The answer is a no-brainer to me. If Hussein couldn't be negotiated with, why do we think we can we negotiate with the North Koreans? What do we intend to do about Iran's nuclear program? Wait and see what happens? Is that a good idea? Last time we tangled with them, they held on to American hostages for years and for all practical purposes, deposed President Carter. More importantly, would they have re-started it if we had never invaded Iraq? I'm troubled by the Cindy Sheehan situation, and I'm not quite sure why Bush doesn't just meet with her. Her son died. He should give her an hour of his time, even if he is on the longest vacation taken by any sitting president in the last 50 years. If he can mountain bike every day, he can talk with Sheehan. He's a public servant, for heaven's sake. It's his job. Even though thousands of my federal tax dollars are being spent in Iraq, I paid $2.85 per gallon for gas today. Cost almost $50 to fill up my tank. Though I'm not exactly in the poorhouse, I'm not sure I can afford to drive my car these days. While we spend billions of dollars on the war, the city I live in is considering an income tax on its residents, b/c our Legislature doesn't want to provide adequate funding to pay for city services like police, fire, garbage collection, etc. , even though our taxes are already the highest in the county. Our schools have not received an increase in funding for three years running, even though health insurance, worker's comp insurance, energy costs and retirement costs have all gone up in the double digits (and these costs are not controllable or due to anything we did or didn't do in the past). I'm sure there's more, but I'm tiring of complaining. I'm probably just whining at this point. Anybody have any encouragement to offer?

Being a daddy has its rewards . . .

My oldest daughter, Hannah, just turned 7. She has been itchin' to ride a two-wheeler recently, so yesterday, we got her brand new helmut. Today we took the training wheels off her bike. This is her riding her bike: And going the other direction: And this is one very proud girl!

Gettin' to know the neighbors

Is is blog neighbors? Neighbloggers? Neighbor bloggers? Oh forget it. At any rate, Blond Girl tagged me with a blog-warming meme today, and so now I've got to do it or I'll be accused of poor blog etiquette. Or would that be poor blogiquette? Oh never mind. I'm supposed to choose five people that the person who chose me (Blond Girl) would like to visit (or per my version, might like to visit :^|). So, I choose (in random order, of course, so as not to play favorites): Free to Be mean_girl Courtney (Midvale School for the Gifted Alumni Assoc.) Rockstar Mommy Deputyswife Oh. I almost forgot. I'm then supposed to answer the following questions: When did you move into the neighborhood? My first blog entry was April Fool's Day of this year. Yep, I'm not kidding. Friday, April 1, 2005. And, guess what is said? That Merriam-Webster OnLine teaches us that a 'trusty' is: a convict considered trustworthy and allowed special privileges. But, I hastily, add, I'm not a convict, never have been a convict, and don't intend to be a convict (if I can help it). I am, though, an elected Trustee of the Ypsilanti Board of Education, so I fancy myself clever for the play on words. Or not. What region of the neighborhood are you from? I live in Ypsilanti, MI (home of Eastern Michigan University), which is adjacent to Ann Arbor, MI (home of the University of Michigan) and about 45 minutes from Detroit, MI. What is your favorite part of our neighborhood? Oh, I like to share my thoughts and read what others like to share or choose to share. I'm impressed by the diversity of people who blog and the wide range of views, thoughts, values, needs and wants expressed in the blogosphere. I find it interesting to connect with people, allowing that the quality of the connection can vary significantly. What is your favorite place to visit 'round these parts? Just look to the right under "Blogs you outta check out" and see for yourself! Since I just moved into a new house, I might want to take a short trip to a local place or area. Where would you suggest in your region? Just a block from my home is Historic Depot Town, great for shopping and eating/drinking. It is also a frequent location for festivals and vintage car shows. Also in Depot Town is the Freighthouse, a neighborhood gathering place and farmer's market currently undergoing renovation. Adjacent to Depot Town is Riverside Park, through which the Huron River flows. We have a vintage car museum and a historic fire engine museum all within walking distance of my home. Just off the park is the Riverside Arts Center, which houses the work of many local artists. Well, that should do it! A special "thank-you" to Blond Girl for tagging me! Watch out, or I'll get you next time ;^)

Justices on the Take: Episode 2

Brian Dickerson apparently took some heat for his column (the one I posted on earlier this week) in which he accused four of our Michigan Supreme Court Justices of being on the take. Instead of retreating, he responded with more evidence that our state Supreme Court uses a double standard when ruling, providing favorable interpretations, leniency, and benefits to insurance companies and corporations while construing long-recognized laws against consumers and refusing to uphold decades-old rights of individuals. His article follows, in its entirety: BRIAN DICKERSON: A question of appearances August 12, 2005 BY BRIAN DICKERSON FREE PRESS COLUMNIST A trial judge I like and respect put it to me straight: Did I really believe, she wanted to know, that four members of Michigan's highest court are on the take? If not, what did I mean when I wrote that the state Supreme Court justices in question "belong" to the insurance industry? These are fair questions. None of the justices mentioned in my Monday column -- Maura Corrigan, Stephen Markman, Clifford Taylor and Robert Young Jr. -- has been charged with a crime. No prosecutor I know of is investigating any of them for official corruption. But since late 1999, when Markman's appointment gave then-Gov. John Engler's handpicked justices control of the seven-member court, the four have been on an almost messianic crusade to recast the rules of engagement between insurance companies and consumers. In case after case, they've made it easier for insurers to deny coverage and harder for aggrieved policyholders to do anything about it. In dozens of instances, the same justices have discarded precedents and common-law customs that had protected consumers for decades. A retreat from precedent The case I wrote about earlier this week -- in which the Engler majority abandoned a long-established rule that time limitations established in an insurance policy must be reasonable -- is but the most recent example. In another case, the justices held that auto insurers may shirk liability for some accident-related expenses simply by waiting until the statutory time limit has passed before denying coverage. In a third case, the Republican majority upheld a clause barring claims made more than 30 days after an accident, even when no one was appointed to represent the fatally injured policyholder's estate until the 30-day limit had elapsed. In each instance, the majority insisted the plain meaning of the relevant statute left the court no choice but to rule as it did, however unjust the result. But the same justices have not hesitated to apply a more flexible standard in other types of cases, especially when a more literal reading of the law would benefit criminal defendants. Quacking like a duck Motives are always difficult to divine, and I do not lightly question the sincerity of those whose views I contest. I know how much I resent it when a reader dismisses anything I've written as a payoff to the plaintiffs' bar or some other interest group to whom they imagine me beholden. But I don't take money from lawyers, and they didn't help me get my job. The Engler justices have a different relationship with the insurance industry, which has invested untold tens of thousands in the current majority's ascent to power. So far, insurers are getting exactly what they paid for: a radically altered legal landscape in which it's increasingly difficult for policyholders to get their day in court. From the insurers' point of view, the justices' motives hardly matter. Results are what count, and the Engler majority continues to deliver. My guess is that the four Justices he criticizes won't have the gall to sue him, as their rulings would never hold up to scrutiny. Truth is an absolute defense to defamation, slander and libel. Article from:

House for sale in Historic East Side Neighborhood!

My neighbors, Zack and Jack, are selling their newly renovated and updated home in the Historic East Side Neighborhood. It is just a block from Depot Town. Jack just got a career offer he couldn't refuse in Florida, so they're moving. Here's a small picture (that doesn't do it justice): You can check it out at the agent's site, or you can stop by on Sunday between 2 and 4. It's at 314 Oak Street, and it's going for a very inexpensive $239,900! In addition to its 2000+ square feet, it has a brand new 2-story garage in back, with an unfinished loft just waiting to be finished. It would make a great guest room, studio space, or a playroom for children. The yard isn't just big, it's behemoth, and well wooded. Stop on by and be the next addition to my wonderful neighborhood!

ACOG launches campaign to intimidate expert witnesses

Barry Shifrin, M.D. a Board Certified OB-GYN, recently resigned from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG]. He did so, because ACOG has updated a two-year old policy permitting their members to have other members thrown out of the professional organization for testifying on behalf of plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases. Dr. Shifrin was targeted himself for such testimony. According to a recent article: Schifrin's censure is the result of an ACOG campaign to quell testimony against its members in medical malpractice cases, according to targeted doctors and plaintiff lawyers. ACOG is currently on a campaign to ban all lawsuits against its members, even when the doc is negligent: In a transcript of a round table panel discussion sponsored by ACOG's official publication, Contemporary OB/GYN, and published on Jan. 1, ACOG leaders lambasted the current tort system. ACOG's review doesn't even resemble a principled, fair process. In fact, pretty much anything goes at these "peer review" sessions: [T]he ACOG review has no rules of evidence. The complaining doctor may submit whatever evidence he or she wants -- a deposition, a transcript or a letter. [There is] no formal request for the medical records at issue. . . . . The complainant gets a half-hour to make his or her case, and the accused doctor gets equal rebuttal time. The panel can interrupt with questions, and each side is allowed to have an attorney present. The hearings are conducted at ACOG's Washington, D.C., headquarters. The idea is not only to have these docs thrown out of the group, but to target those who testify for plaintiffs with the hope that they can use the sanction of the private group in courts all over the country against expert witnesses who testify for plaintiffs: [The] hope is that anytime a person has an adverse ruling against them [from ACOG] that it's public knowledge, and that anytime it happens it can be used against them in court," said [one] proponent of the peer review system. Physicians who testify and attorneys who represent plaintiffs responded with a lambasting of their own: "What they're trying to do is blacklist experts so people can't exercise their rights in the civil justice system," said plaintiffS lawyer Robert Boyers of Hannon & Boyers in Miami. . . . . With no expert to tell the jury what the standard of care is in a medical situation and what went wrong in a particular case, it would be impossible for an attorney to convince a jury of medical malpractice. One interesting attribute of ACOG's policy is that it is supposedly equally available against both plaintiff's and defense experts: ACOG and the other organizations taking aim at expert testimony insist that they are equally willing to go after defense and plaintiff experts, but much of the literature and rhetoric surrounding the new process paints it as ACOG's panacea to the medical malpractice crisis. However, as you might guess, there is no reported sanction against any a defense expert for proffering fraudulent or inconsistent testimony, even in the face of a large settlement or jury verdict against the doc on whose behalf they testified. Hmmmmm. I wonder why . . .

Activist Michigan Supreme Ct In the Pocket of Insurance Companies

Brian Dickerson, Detroit Free Press columnist, is an awesome dude, if I may say so. Today, he published a column exposing the connections between big insurance and the Michigan Supreme Court. Dickerson asks: Wouldn't it be more efficient, for instance, if insurance companies paid the justices' salaries directly? The companies would save the hassle of laundering payments through the soft-money campaign finance machine, and their water carriers in Lansing could dispense with the charade of judicial impartiality. What a crackup! Unfortunately he's right. Justice Young, a Federalist, used to be vice president, corporate secretary and general counsel to AAA Insurance. His three neo-conservative buds on the Court are also Federalists. They always vote together on key cases. They hate when little guy's file lawsuits, favor using the dictionary rather than context and legislative history to interpret legislation, and prefer their rulings to benefit corporations and insurance companies. Interestingly, on this one, another Republican, Justice Elizabeth Weaver, actually dissented and criticized her Republican compatriots, stating: . . . the majority is eliminating over five decades of precedent that created specialized rules of interpretation and enforcement for insurance contracts . . . Presumably, as any person with a modicum of intelligence would know, the Michigan Legislature is aware of these rules of law and, if they disagreed with them, could overturn them anytime they want with new legislation. Hey, but why do that when neo-conservative activist judges can do it for them? Siding with Weaver was our more liberal, Democratic Justice, Marilyn Kelly. She was more pointed in her comments: The burden of this rule is carried by the average individual who has little, if any, bargaining power when purchasing insurance. . . . The choice made by the majority regresses our judicial system by decades, if not centuries. So, next time anyone tells you that the courts are out of control with liberal activist judges, politely remind them that it is the pro-business and anti-consumer activist judges funded by their respective interests that are upsetting the balance of power in our country. All this neo-conservative judicial activism costs you money. As Dickerson points out: Read the small print. If you want a reasonable insurance contract, expect to pay an attorney several hundred dollars to scrutinize it. Above all, don't look to Michigan's highest court for protection; it's already busy protecting somebody else.

The moon really is made of cheese . . .

Those jokers over at Google.com crack me up. Their moon project is just too much. If you want to be cracked up, too, go to Google's moon maps. It's a very sophisticated tool that let's you view the surface of the moon and zoom in and out. You can check out where some moon mission landed. But the fun starts when you zoom all the way in. Once you're done with that, click on the More About Google Moon link on the right. Once there, check out the lunar hosting and research center links, and just follow the links from there. And, if you're interested, you can apply for a job on the moon. Have a great weekend (well, what's left of it anyway)! P.S. Thx to ypsidixit for the heads up on this!

Shhhh . . . Don't tell . . . I went to Ozzfest . . .

Because I am allowed this one vice . . . . Ozzfest 2005 (Detroit) was a resounding success! Following is the redux: Picked up Dave at noon, picked up Peter at 12:30, was at Pine Knob (now called DTE Entergy Music Theater) by 1:30 P.M. It immediately started raining a torrential downpour, which thankfully lasted only about ten minutes. We got off to a slow start when they caught me trying to smuggle in contraband -- my camera, and I had to return to my car to stow it. Damn those metal detectors! Consequently, there are no pictures. Sorry about that. Mastodon did not perform, as they had a "family emergency." Damn! I wanted to see them. They did a whole record modeled after Melville's Moby Dick, and I was looking forward to hearing some songs from it live. :( We did bump into some buds from the Taylor Police department, who shall remain nameless (to protect their "law-abiding" reputations!). They were clearly enjoying the show, and a few beers, but the ladies were *not* responding well to the showing of the badges thing, which was a decidely lame way to impress chicks. As I Lay Dying was the first band we saw on the second stage. They rocked! Great sound, tight performances. Better than I expected. Good show. Killswitch Engage: same thing. They simply rocked! Rob Zombie was next. Hmmmm. Don't quite know what was up with him, but he seemed a little bored by it all. He had a bunch of lame jokes about not knowing where he was. Perhaps he thought he ought to be on the main stage instead of headlining the second stage. His drummer was from Detroit, and he made a big show of that, which didn't really work well with the "Where the F* am I" routine. He did some of his better known songs, and rocked them. But when it came to filling up some of the time due to the Mastodon cancellation, he ran out of music and things to say. They started Detroit Rock City and Sweet Home Alabama, but just used them as teasers and quit after a minute or so of jamming. He spent too much time plugging his movie "The Devil's Rejects." John 5 pretty much won the Thinnest Tone of the Day Award, which is not like him at all. His tone just did not live up to Killswitch Engage or As I Lay Dying. Generally, though I'm glad I was there, the consensus was that Zombie was a disappointment (even with John 5). Missed the first part of In Flames, as they started before Zombie was done, but what I saw rocked! I was not familiar with their music, but they put on a great show, and the music was pretty happenin'. Black Label Society: What can I say? They pretty much outshine everyone else when they play. No difference this time. Zakk Wylde may be the best guitar player in the entire universe! No tone problems here! Shadows Fall was excellent, but I must admit that I think I've used babysitters for my kids who are older than some of them. And, the spinning dreadlock thing is getting a bit tired if you ask me . . . (yea, I know you didn't). Mudvayne was awesome, and they were sans makeup. Only the singer did wear what appeared to be a gorilla suit (a pantsuit-like thing covered with long hairs). Since it was 90+ degrees and about 99% humidity, he didn't wear it for long ;^) Brief digression: Gerry had to attend a wake, so he arrived late, joining us just in time for Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden was unbelievable. Last time I saw them, I was like 15 or 16, and I had front row main floor seats at Cobo Hall. At Ozzfest, they were tight, Bruce Dickinson was over the top, and they played ONLY classic Maiden. The Trooper, Run to the Hills, Number of the Beast, Hallowed Be Thy Name, you name it, they played it. They were totally tight, sounded great, and Dickinson worked the crowd like there was no tomorrow. And more good news: apparently, they will be coming out with a new record next year, followed by a world tour. Sabbath with Ozzy was outstanding! We were worried, as Ozzy missed a couple performances last week b/c of an upper respiratory infection. Frankly, Ozzy was probably in better shape than he's been in for years. He ran all over the stage, he hollered, he threw buckets of water on the crowd, he yelled, he sang. Tony Iommi's tone was utterly amazing. I once did a record with a guy by the name of Rick Parker, and his guitarist's name was Josh. Josh used to say, all the time, "It's all about the tone, man." Well, if that's true, then it's all about Tony Iommi. They did War Pigs, Fairies Wear Boots, Paranoid, Iron Man, and other classics. It was a fantastic show. There was all the regular stuff, too: Climbing wall, concourse, $8 beers, $4 hot dogs, long waits in line, body-painting (looks best on topless women, of course), and mucho merchandise. Until next year . . .

No blogging today . . . I'll be at

Feel free to poke fun all you want :)

It's not about what THEY deserve, it's about what WE deserve

Okay. What do John Roberts, John Bolton, Priscilla Owen and William Pryor all have in common? They have all been said to "deserve a fair, up or down vote in the Senate." Call me a raving lunatic, but I'm becoming weary of all this whining about how Bush appointments "deserve an up or down vote." Guess what? They don't deserve anything. They are public servants. Public service is a privilege, not a right. These people don't deserve to be public servants, but if they can prove to us they can be good ones, they will be rewarded with public service. This really oughtta be about what we deserve, not about what they deserve. We deserve: Exhaustive background checks, even if they take a long time Fu