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08 Nov 2011 23:17

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U.S.: Air Force officials disciplined over handling of dead soldiers’ remains

  • A missing ankle bone. Some missing tissue. A sawed-off arm. War is an ugly thing, and the death of a soldier is certainly one of the more difficult things to put into a pretty package. But three employees at the Dover, Delaware Air Force base found out that “close enough” isn’t good enough when it’s someone’s life in the package. They got reprimanded (but not fired) for the mishandling of the soldiers’ remains, leading to some shocking and gruesome details getting out to the press. As this is a sensitive issue, the Air Force is working to ensure this won’t happen again. “We and every employee of the Dover Port Mortuary understand the obligations of this work, the sanctity of this work, the necessity, the need for reverence, the need for dignity and respect for our fallen, just as if these were our sons and our daughters,” noted Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, the chief of staff for the Air Force. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Sep 2011 11:10

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Culture: More pet owners choosing to euthanize suffering pets at home

  • traditional Losing a pet and having to pay someone to put them out of their misery; it’s something that many people pay vets to do from the cold comfort of a vet’s office.
  • trending Paying someone to make a house call. It’s becoming increasingly common to pay someone money to put a pet down from the warm comfort of home. source
  • » A tough decision for pet owners: Some pet owners see going to the vet’s office as a bit too difficult to handle. “It really made a terrible situation much better,” noted Wendy Bowlds of Gainesville, Va. “There’s nothing so awful as leaving the vet’s office with nothing but the empty leash.” Bowlds had her own dog put down in her kitchen. So, what do you guys think? Personally, we could never do a house call. Too disturbing. Could you?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jun 2011 16:52

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World: Muammar Gaddafi would rather die than surrender

  • We will not kneel! We will not surrender: we only have one choice – to the end! Death, victory, it does not matter, we are not surrendering!
  • Muammar Gaddafi • More or less affirming the attitude he’s been exemplifying for months. His defiant remarks came during a phone call to Libyan state television, during which the sounds of low-flying aircraft were audible over the line, and he quickly hung up. NATO’s offensive strikes in Libya have intensified recently — perhaps the result of President Obama agreeing with British PM David Cameron that it was time to ‘turn up the heat‘ on Gaddafi and his forces? In any event, this much seems clear: Gaddafi would rather die than relinquish command, and NATO doesn’t intend to leave him in power. Gaddafi might get his wish on this one. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Jun 2011 18:07

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World: Bloody day in Iraq for Iraqis, U.S. military

  • five American soldiers killed by a rocket attack on a joint Iraqi-U.S. base today, the single deadliest incident for the U.S. military in two years
  • 18 Iraqis killed today in a series of violent incidents — a car-bombing and suicide bombing feared to be the work of al-Qaeda in Iraq source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

31 May 2011 17:23

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World: Smokers of the world, quit! Today is “World No Tobacco Day”

  • Never a bad time: The new, concerning report on cell phone use isn’t the only place you’ll hear the word “carcinogenic” being used today; May 31st is World No Tobacco Day, a cause that could probably benefit from a slightly less clunky title. The World Health Organization estimates that some 6 million people die each year from tobacco-related illness. Anti-smoking measures within the U.S. have blossomed over the last decade, with smoking bans in public places, restaurants, and bars becoming more and more prevalent across the states — check here for a list of smoking bans applicable in your area. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

24 May 2011 14:54

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U.S.: More storms expected in devastated Joplin, Missouri

  • Scenes from Joplin, and fears of further storms: The death toll in Joplin continued to grimly creep upwards today, with 117 now confirmed dead, and relief and rescue services still faced with such a job that you should probably brace for that number to change again. To make matters worse, the NOAA has issued warnings of severe storms the next few days across a broad swath of the American heartland, with Joplin lying in the highest risk zone. Please do everything possible to stay safe, everybody. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2011 00:19

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U.S.: Phillies fans chant “U.S.A.” as they learn of bin Laden’s death

  • The view from Citizens Bank Ballpark: In the 9th inning of a tied game between the Mets and Phillies tonight, the crowd collectively got word of the death of Osama bin Laden. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

25 Apr 2011 13:48

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World: Assad government turns up military might against protests

  • The dance of an authoritarian state: The crackdown against those Syrians with the courage to protest the rule of Bashar al-Assad is already horribly violent — human rights groups claim the deaths of more than 300 people by the hands of the Assad government since the protests began. That’s just the visible deathtoll, to boot — Syria is widely regarded as one of the world’s worst states on human rights, with torture being a valued tactic, so it’s hard not to believe there are people having some pretty terrible things done to them as we write this. Tanks have now been unleashed into Dara, the origin of much of the anti-government protest. Once you’ve arrived at this point, can there ever truly be a “going back?” It looks like Syria may face a protracted and bloody conflict. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Apr 2011 17:15

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Music: Gerard Smith, bassist for TV On The Radio, dies of lung cancer

  • Gerard Smith, dead at 34: Smith was the bass player for eclectic rock band “TV on the Radio,” and was receiving treatment for lung cancer. His bandmates released this statement: “We are very sad to announce the death of our beloved friend and bandmate, Gerard Smith, following a courageous fight against lung cancer. Gerard passed away the morning of April 20th, 2011. We will miss him terribly.” Deepest condolences to his friends and family — 34 is too damn young to go, especially from such a terrible disease. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Apr 2011 16:10

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World: Doctor urges TEPCO to relieve stressed Fukushima workers

  • Examining doctor Takeshi Tanigawa says the workers could risk death. The doctor, who checked the beleaguered workers recently, has said the personal responsibility they feel to halt the crisis, along with terrible sanitation, little food, little sleep, and pressure from their families not to continue is causing extreme levels of stress, and could lead to depression or death from overwork. That’s all without mentioning the high level of radiation, which is extremely deleterious to health on its own. Tanigawa says TEPCO should mobilize all their employees and give these most dedicated workers a break: “Employees engaged in the dangerous work have human rights and wives and children just like others. We should not treat their lives without due respect.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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