Posts Tagged ‘ Death ’

Several suggestions made after inquest into Ladner bus dragging death

February 16, 2011
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Several suggestions made after inquest into Ladner bus dragging death
A coroner’s inquest into the 2008 dragging death of a man in Ladner has resulted in a call for changes to how hospitals deal with mentally ill patients and more control over the dispensing of methadone to addicts.
Read more on The Delta Optimist

Mountjoy denies drug security claims
THE Prison Service has contradicted dramatic claims in the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) report that staff at Mountjoy Prison were not subjected to the same strict drug security measures as visitors.
Read more on Irish Examiner

Heroin deaths shoot up in Stark
Heroin use is rapidly rising in Stark County, having caused at least 11 deaths last year. Users are mixing their heroin with other, more potent painkillers. And some users aren’t even aware.
Read more on The Canton Repository

Being Fat ‘lessens Risk of Early Death’

January 14, 2011
By

Carrying a few extra pounds may not be as bad for your life expectancy as was previously thought, US researchers suggested yesterday.

Overweight people have a lower risk of early death than those whose weight is regarded as normal, according to a study of weight and mortality in the US in 2000.

The figures show that underweight is also associated with excess deaths, although not as strongly as high obesity.

Although the death rate does rise quickly in the very obese, the finding has brought an immediate accusation that the serious health consequences of expanding waistlines in developed countries have been overstated.

The study by researchers at the Centres for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says that previous figures for excess deaths due to overweight were based on inadequate data and inadequate adjustment for other factors.

The new figures indicate that while obesity caused nearly 112,000 more deaths than might be expected, 87,000 fewer people in the overweight category died.

That might suggest that, among the obese and overweight in total, there were just 25,000 extra deaths.

Life expectancy in the US increased from 73.7 to 77 in the 20 years up to 2000, although 65% of people over 20 are overweight or obese.

The association between obesity and mortality may have decreased because of improvements in public health or medical care for obesity-related conditions, the authors say.

But, they add: “Such speculation should be tempered by the awareness that these differences between surveys may simply represent chance variation and that small variations in relative risk translate into large differences in the numbers of deaths”.

Barry Glassner, a sociology professor at the University of Southern California, said: “The take-home message from this study, it seems to me, is unambiguous.

“What is officially deemed overweight these days is actually the optimal weight.”

For The Xbox 360 Consumer – Two FAQs About The Red Ring Of Death

January 14, 2011
By

Do you have an Xbox 360 that has stopped working? Are there three red lights surrounding the start button? If so, then your machine is suffering from what is called the red ring of death. Another term for this is the three red light error. Understand that there are lots of other consumers out there who also have this problem. The ring of death has afflicted the Xbox since 2005. Since that time, a lot of good and bad advice has been written on the topic.

As frustrating as this problem is, it’s not the end of the world. The good news is that there are a number of options that you can act on to get your Xbox up and running again. This article will answer two common questions that consumers like yourself have asked about the three red light error.

1.) Why does the red ring of death happen?

There are two basic causes for this problem. One is that your Xbox isn’t getting enough power. Rectifying this is a simple matter of disconnecting and then reconnecting the various cables and plugs. Do the same with the hard drive. Inspect and replace any cables that are damaged. Make sure that the power supply is working properly. Plug the power supply directly into your wall outlet. Also make sure that the wall outlet has power by plugging in a lamp and observing whether or not the lamp is as bright as it should be. If you are having brown out problems, you will notice the light bulb periodically getting bright and dim.

The other cause for the ring of death is a machine that has overheating problems. Sometimes, the overheating will trigger the three red lights before any real damage has been done but this isn’t always the case. Overheating is caused by the way that the Xbox 360 is designed. The graphics chip as well as the CPU put out a lot of heat. By itself this shouldn’t be problem. However, the cooling system isn’t robust enough to cope with this heat. In addition, the internal components are cramped into small volume which makes heat removal more difficult to do. This problem of cramming heat producing electronics into tiny spaces is typical in consumer electronics. We as consumers expect our electronic gadgetry to get ever smaller. This expectation pressures the manufacturers to make their goods smaller even if it makes the cooling problem more difficult.

2.) Can the red ring of death be avoided?

Since overheating is the main reason for this problem in the first place, then keeping your console cool is the best strategy for avoiding the ring of death. Three factors that cause overheating are the gaming hours that you spend on your Xbox, the temperature of the operating environment, and whether or not your console is getting adequate ventilation.

You will need to limit the number of hours that you use your Xbox continuously. After about two or three hours of play, turn off your console and allow it enough time to cool down.

You should make sure that where you use your Xbox is kept cool. In the summer this means turning on the air conditioner. In the winter this means keeping the Xbox away from heaters, radiators, furnaces, and other sources of heat. Be careful of placing the console adjacent to or on top of other electronics since these also produce heat.

Keeping your Xbox well ventilated means using it in a wide open area. Never use your machine inside of any enclosure. Keep the air vent ports clear of all dust, debris, or any objects that might block the free flow of air. The built in cooling system cannot do its job without an adequate supply of air. Remember that this cooling system is barely adequate under the best of circumstances, so don’t make the problem worse.

If your Xbox already has the three red light error, you should first determine whether the problem is due to inadequate power or to overheating. From there you will want to consider what your options are before taking the proper action. If you need help in doing this, read these red ring of death fix suggestions. A trouble shooting procedure as well as your various options are thoroughly discussed.

And She Will Be The Death Of Me. Chp 1

January 2, 2011
By
And She Will Be The Death Of Me. Chp 1

Hi…wait that’s to boring to start a conversation, that’s how everyone starts off introducing themselves, but as a human race that’s what were good at, following the ‘trend’, so Hi…my name is William Zachary Cannon given to me by birth from my mother. I don’t get why children are force with names they haven’t even chosen for themselves, we should all get temporary names until were 5 years old or any age where we reach some sense to pick our own name. Its not fair to be label something where you had no say in, so yeah my birth name is William, but I go by Chase, its how I feel..I feel like a Chase. Whoever doesn’t like it can suck dry turkey balls for all I care.

“William!.” My mom yelled while opening my door angry. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

“No.” I said laying on my bed trying to block her out with the music playing from my ipod.

“Well, I wanted to tell you that Ill be late again tonight, I have a date.” She smiled putting her hands on her hips.

“Okay mother have fun with lucky guy number 78.” I said sarcastically.

“That’s not funny, and clean up your room would you.” She said closing the door.

That’s my mom, and no that’s not her actual face, she actually done botox, face lifts, you name she did it, she can hardly hold emotion anymore, and she makes nothing get in between her men and her two pair of fake silicon double Ds. This was the usually Sunday night where she would go out on dates with various men, she dated so many men that when I wake up in the morning to go to the bathroom I don’t even flinch when I see a stranger sitting on the towel.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” A man said embarrass. “I didn’t know anyone else lived here. He smiled while I just washed my hands without looking at him and then left closing the door.

Many men walk in and out the door of my house, I don’t interact with them, I never seen the same guy twice so whats the point. I excepted the fact that my mom was a whore, it took a while, I use to sugar coat it and say that shes just a woman who happens to love sex..alot, its not just the sex she loves, she loves the money..I guess that makes her a prostitute. But many women are whores to me, whether is sex or not. Women can be whores to society, whores to religion, or even whores to their jobs. Whatever takes up most of your time, and you dedicate yourself to basically. I don’t even know my dad because of her, she doesn’t remember who she slept with to conceive me. How can a mother be so selfish, she never even tried to find out, I didn’t even try myself, he was just another guy she brought home who happened to get her pregnant. I’m sure he doesn’t even know I exist and sometimes Its better that way.

“Hello.” I said answering the phone.

“Hello Mr. Cannon?”

“Yeah?”

“This is Cheries Babysitting Center, Emma is ready to be picked up.”

“Alright.” I hunged up.

How can I forget to mention my sister, shes 6 and her name is Emma, shes the reason I have a job, so she can be somewhere other than home. With all the men coming and going in my house I don’t trust her around them. Many guys are pervertive sick fucks, and I would defiantly kill someone if they touched her. Also I don’t want her to see what are mother truly was. Emma knows her dad, his name is Jack. He was actually our mothers longest relationship…4 months. He comes over sometimes to pick her up, other than that I’m all she has. Even though hes in the middle of fighting for custody of her, he’s married now with 3 children, and they all live in the classic white house picket fence, not one strand of dead grass in the yard, perfect flowers, happiness. I do believe shes better living with him.

“Hey, I’m here to pick up Emma Johnson.” I said at the counter of the day care.

“Ah yes, shes sitting in room 108, straight down to the right.” A lady said smiling.

“Thanks.” I walked towards the room and saw her sitting down playing with her doll. “Hey Em.” I said smiling.

“Chase!!!.” She looked up smiling and ran over and hugged my legs.

“Hey, you had fun today?” I held her hand.

“Yeah, we were painting today, I painted a sun.”

“Oh really, who was the mother?”

“No.” She said giggling. “the sun, that’s in the sky.” I smiled and walked her to the car, I fasten her seat-belt and went back into the driver seat. “I’m hungry.”

“Really? they didn’t feed you?”

“Just crackers and cheese.”

“Bastards.” I said low and I saw Emma mouth dropped from the rear view mirror. “Sorry Em, so what do you want to eat?” I said smiling at her reaction.

“um..CAKE!.” She said cheesing.

“Cake it is.” I pulled up in front of the grocery store and parked. I came out and opened her door and we both walked in. “What kind of cake do you want?”

“Chocolate.”

“Okay.” I looked through some cakes and brownies on the shelf.

“I want to buy the mix, I want to bake it myself.” She said smiling.

“But these are already made Em.”

“So, I want to make it.” She frown.

“Fine, and fix your face before it stays like that, go get the mix you want, its straight down there.” She smiled and ran away. I stood there with my hands in my pocket and glance up to see her running back.

“Here.”

“This is lemon.”

“I changed my mind.” I nodded and walked to the counter.

“8.99″ The casher said, I reached into my pocket and pulled out 6 singles, I search my other pocket and found 2 dollars in change.

“You got any change Em?” She shook her head. “Uh I only have 8 dollars.” I told the lady.

“Well its 8.99″

“Well I got the majority amount, I’ll pay you back.”

“I’m sorry sir, but its 8.99.”

“Alright…Look I live around here, I can pay you pack tomorrow.”

“I don’t -”

“Fine ill pay you back tonight.”

“I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“Its just 99 cent less!” I said sternly.

“I know but I cant-”

“The girl wants cake look at her!.” Everyone in the grocery store stared as the lady looked at Emma who looked worried. “The kid wants cake.” I said softly.

“I’m so sorry sir, I do wish I could help.” I slapped the box down in frustration, and looked back at her.

“Fine, I’ll just put it back, thanks a lot, you did a good deed.” I said walking away from her as she looked down. “Emma go wait in the car I’ll be there.” She nodded and went outside. I walked back to the back of the store and looked around, I then slowly slipped the box in my inside jack pocket. I straighten up and slowly walked out the store. I saw Emma sitting in the back looking down, I opened the door and went in.

“Sorry Chase, Its okay I don’t want cake anymore.”

“Oh really, darn I guess I’ll just put this back.” I said sarcastically taking it out of my jacket, and opening the door to leave.

“No no.” She said smiling. “How did you get it.” I handed it to her.

“Well I got the lady to changed her mind.”

“Thanks.” She hugged the box and I began to drive.

I don’t know why people always had have to follow the rules, its not like a cop is always over your shoulder, sometimes it okay to let things slide. This world is greedy for money and wouldn’t even give you something if you were 5 cents short.
_______
I ran my fingers in Emma’s hair as she slept in her bed. Two empty plates were beside her bed with cake crumbs in it. I got up and went into the kitchen, there were bowls of cake mix and flour all over the counter. I walked to the sink to begin to wash the dishes and the front door opened.

“Oh, hi Will.” My mom said closing the door.

“I thought you were staying out late tonight.”

“Well, um there was a change of plans.” She said smiling as a guy came in afterwards. “Um Dan this is William, Will this is-”

“Stop mom what the fuck.” I said madly looking at her.

“Excuse me, don’t talk to me like that.”

“You cant for one night go fuck somewhere else, like a hotel or..his house!.”

“Im so sorry about this.” She said to Dan

“What is he to fucking cheap to bring you to a hotel? or wait, he cant bring you to his house because his wife is still up waiting for him!.”

“This is my house god dammit, don’t try to run me out!.”

“But..” I lowered my voice. “Emma is sleeping.”

“We wont be loud.” She said seriously and I just stared at her in disgust. “And clean up this place its a mess.” She took Dan’s hand and walked to her room. I clenched my fist and walked to Emmas room and lift her up.

“Chase?” She said tiredly.

“Hold on Emma ism gonna take you to my room.” I carried her to my room and closed the door. “I’m gonna play music okay? you think you can sleep while hearing music?”

“If its calming.”She said laughing. I smiled and searched Coldplay on youtube and played Yellow. I turned it up and pulled the covers over her. I then sat down and waited for her to fall back asleep. The walls shaked and I could faintly hear the moans from my mothers room. I bit my lip hard, how I hated how she didn’t give two shits about anyone besides herself. I layed down next to Emma until I fell asleep.
_______
“William can you please hand these out.” My teacher Mrs. Brigham said.

“Sure.” I stood up and took her papers, she was an huge obese lazy bitch, she never did anything. All she did was teach while sitting down she always asked me to hand papers out because she enjoyed bothering me. I didn’t mind, it wasn’t like i did much in class anyways. I stood up and passed them out one by one. I never really enjoyed school it was no point. we work hard for 12 years to just go to college and get a job which we will be working for the rest of our lives. Its like we never get a break, whats the point in having a good job, work is work and its time consuming and besides most people hate their jobs. After class I don’t even rush to my next one, I take my sweet time, I walked by this guy name Matt, I been in a fight twice with him. Almost got expel the second time for breaking his nose on school property. What I mean is I did damage to school property, they didn’t give a damn if his nose was broken. He gave me a look and then looked away, I been in to many fights I cant remember.

“Ay yo Chase.” I looked up and saw Brandon and Vinny
walking towards me, they were the only people I interacted with in my school and thats because we share the same interest in music.

“What up guys.”

“You never messaged me back.” Brandon said and I just looked at him confused.

“About the band.” Vinny finished, “You were gonna send us the riff you made.”

“Oh, my bad guys I forgot.”

“Ah your fucking up your fucking up.” Brandon said messing up my hair.

“Alright I’ll do it later.”

I was suppose to join their band that they were forming, call Helen’s Grave. I thought the name was corny, but they were only hiring me as their lead guitarist. Besides talking to them I pretty much didn’t do anything in school, it was just a place I went to…just to go. After school I drove to Emmas school to pick her up like I usually did.

“Um someone already picked her up.”

“What do you mean someone already picked her up, who?”

“Um His name was Jack Johnson, he left 10 minutes ago, I got approval from the her mother cell which was given on the emergency card you…” Her voice trailed off as I walked away. Later I drove up to my house and saw a van in the driveway full of people. I got out slowly while the people in the van stared at me, it was Jacks kid, a boy that was a year younger than me and a teenage daughter and a little boy, I then turned and saw Jack coming out with Emma holding his hand.

“Ah William.”

“Its Chase.” I said looking at Emma.

“…Chase.” He said laughing. “Well ‘Chase’ I’m taking Emma for the week, I told your mother already.”

“Alright, gimme a hug.” I keeled down and Emma hugged me tightly.

“I’ll bring her back next Monday.”

“Okay, be good Em.” I said standing back up and she nodded, Jack smiled at me and walked back to his car.

“Hi Chase.” His teenage daughter said smiling flirtatiously through the window. I stared for a while and then slightly waved. Soon after the car back up out of the driveway and droved away. Its not that I hated Jack, he was man enough to except responsibility for Emma, and I don’t blame him for leaving my mom, she only used him for his money, that’s why she has those boobs in the first place. There was just something about him, how he seen me as a joke. I don’t know what I would do when Jack gets custody of Emma, I will have nothing to live for, I know I would hardly see her because his family wants nothing to do with me. That’s why I don’t take life seriously, one day for sure I’m going to die, and it will be from my doing.
______
I was never one to be suicidal, I never had suicidal thoughts before, even when times were really bad. Like when my mom used to drink when she was pregnant with Emma and how I use to yell out her for being so selfish. It just clicks that this thing we call earth, is just not what it seems. I don’t really have big dreams,…I don’t dream BIG, I don’t want to do anything. I also don’t want to spend my life as a vegetable, sitting around watching TV until I’m big enough t explode. I do believe in reincarnation, maybe I can died and come back as someone greater, and theirs a saying that when someone dies another is born. I can give my life to someone who would have more meaning for theirs.

Even though I intend of ending my life, there is a few things I want to do before I do so. Nothing I have off the top of my head, and I don’t want to make a list where I check off one by one. I wanted them to be out of the blue and in the moment sort of thing. I wanted to break all the rules, since I was going to die anyways. I sat in my room thinking, just staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t sleep. I then heard the door slam, I got up slowly and walked to the kitchen, my mom was leaning over the counter and she looked up at me.

“Hey Williams.” She stood crookily in her heels.

“Its 3 in the morning.”

“Yeah, time flies doesn’t it.” I just stared at her as she walked to the fridge.

“Jack picked up Emma today.”

“Oh, yeah I know, did his wife come too?”

“No just the kids.” I leaned against the wall.

“That bastard never brings her over here, what is the place to filthy for her taste?”
She drank milk from the jug. “He can go to hell, both of them.”

“Are you drunk?”

“No, why do you say that.” She reached for a bag of chips from the top of the fridge.

“That’s Emma’s lunch.”

“Well shes gonna be gone for a week now isn’t she.” She said rudely opening the bag and munching away at it. She then walked over sloppy towards me, and stared in my face, she smelled strong of alcohol, she then touched my hair with her chips crumbed fingers. “Your such an attractive boy Willy, so attractive, you look just like your father” She paused. “So good looking, why don’t you get yourself a girlfriend huh?”

“Mom stop.” I backed away.

“I’m serious, if your not doing nothing with your life, why not get a girl friend, are you gay?”

“You know I’m not gay.”

“You must be gay, and that’s alright, you can bring home a guy if you want.” She laughed walking back to the counter, “Are you a virgin Will?”

“That’s none of your business.” I said sternly, she was disgusting me.

“Well I never seen you-”

“I don’t put all my shit out in the open like you mom.” She laughed and before she can say something, she leaned over the sink and started to throw up. I shook my head and walked to the closet.

“Where are you going.” She said wiping her mouth.

“Out.” I grabbed my jacket and closed the door. When Emma wasn’t home, there was no point of being home, especially when she was there, I went into my car and droved away. I had to find something to do to pass the time, I drove more downtown and saw a 24/7 bar opened. I parked and came out, music was blasting loudly, many people was dancing and drinking. I walked straight to the bar and ordered. I don’t really drink, but it was there so why not, I don’t really have a social life, I do whatever comes up. This club wasn’t so bad, maybe I should come here more often.

“Hey.” I turned around and saw a red hair girl smiling at me.

“Hi…”

“I’m Amber, whats your name?” I looked at her, she smelled like sex, Her eyes looked inviting, even though I wasn’t in the mood, she was there.

“Um Chase.” I drank my drink.

“May I joined you Chase?”

“Free country.” I shrugged and she sat down smiling.

” never seen you around here before”

“I don’t do much.”

“Oh.” I watched as she opened her legs a bit further to reveal she didn’t have any underwear on. Like I was suppose to find that sexy, I found it quite disgusting, but like I said, she was there. “You doing anything tonight?” She bit her lip and look me up and down.

“Not that I recall.” I answered and she smiled harder.
____________
I pushed the door to a motel open and she walked in before me, she threw her bag on the chair and unzipped her jacket.

“I want you to give it to me hard.” She said wrapping her arms around my neck. I then watched as she slowly backed up unto the bed and laid down. She was then slowly removing her skirt. When my mom asked me if I was a virgin, truth is that I’m not, I only slept with one girl though. It was freshmen year and it was at a house party. I’m a senior now and all this time I manage to go without sex. Even a guy with the most fucked up childhood has sex on the brain 24/7. I guess when you see and hear your mom doing a million of men a month you kind of keep away from the same actions. The disturbing images and noises that you don’t want to hear again, even if its not from her. The memories pierce my brain like a thin sterile needle.

“You coming over big boy or what?” She was fully naked now, legs spread. She couldn’t wait until I took my clothes off, since I was moving so slow. She stood up and threw me on the bed. I watched as she smiled and teared my close off, she struggled to get my pants off and I didn’t help her. If she wanted it, she should work for it. I have to admit suddenly feeling the warmth of her mouth around my private area I started getting turn on. I didn’t even have a rubber, I didn’t prepare for these things because I never went out pursuing them, I guess that’s why my mom figured I was gay. She has no idea who I am and who was she to think of anything when she was hardly home. She then walked to her purse and pulled one out like a well train whore. Soon shortly after she came on top of me and took control.

I just watched as she follick around, wiping her hair everywhere, I turned her over and decided to take control which drove her crazy. There in that moment I realized what I wanted to do before I actually killed myself. This was the second woman I slept with, my goal was to sleep with how much women before I died. I would use rubbers of course, but I figured why not, I don’t know what death offers me or If I’m ever going to get the privilege to have sex again. I wanted to become a man whore and do a much woman as I possibly can, with no feelings or personal attachments behind it.
___________
I walked to my car and got in, it was 5:00 am now, , we didn’t even talk after that and it should stay that way. When we were done, she pecked me on the lips and quickly got dress and left. I’m starting to think more and more that many females are just like my mom, and the good ones were rare. The good girls were either whores to religion or school. Ones who wanted to do shit with their lives and cared about getting degrees. I figured we should settle with whats in front of us, if the girl is a whore let her be. I opened the front door and saw my mom on the floor.

“Mom.” I ran to her and she murmured something, I turned her over and she had drool coming from her mouth. “Mom get up.”

“Charlie?”

“No Its Chase.”

“Chase?”

“Will..” I helped her to her feet and walked her to her room.

“Oh Will, oh my son.” She laughed and I seated her on her bed.

“Get some rest.” I said as she smiled laying back in her bed.

“Help your mother out would you.” She lift her legs motioning me to help unstrap her heel buckles, I took her shoes off and punched her legs more unto her bed. “Your such a good son Willy.” She murmured closing her eyes. “So good.” I covered her with her sheets and walked out. I don’t typically hate my mom, I’m just not close to her, I feel like me and Emma didn’t do anything for her, like how some babies are suppose to turn your life around. We were just like teo new things for her to own, but not take any responsibility. I turned off the kitchen lights and walked into the shower, I let the water take me over as I thought about what had just happened.
********
Just another idea I had, I wont be updated this story as much as my other but I wanted to get these ideas down on paper. Hope you like it too.

Being Fat ‘lessens Risk of Early Death’

October 29, 2010
By

Carrying a few extra pounds may not be as bad for your life expectancy as was previously thought, US researchers suggested yesterday.

Overweight people have a lower risk of early death than those whose weight is regarded as normal, according to a study of weight and mortality in the US in 2000.

The figures show that underweight is also associated with excess deaths, although not as strongly as high obesity.

Although the death rate does rise quickly in the very obese, the finding has brought an immediate accusation that the serious health consequences of expanding waistlines in developed countries have been overstated.

The study by researchers at the Centres for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says that previous figures for excess deaths due to overweight were based on inadequate data and inadequate adjustment for other factors.

The new figures indicate that while obesity caused nearly 112,000 more deaths than might be expected, 87,000 fewer people in the overweight category died.

That might suggest that, among the obese and overweight in total, there were just 25,000 extra deaths.

Life expectancy in the US increased from 73.7 to 77 in the 20 years up to 2000, although 65% of people over 20 are overweight or obese.

The association between obesity and mortality may have decreased because of improvements in public health or medical care for obesity-related conditions, the authors say.

But, they add: “Such speculation should be tempered by the awareness that these differences between surveys may simply represent chance variation and that small variations in relative risk translate into large differences in the numbers of deaths”.

Barry Glassner, a sociology professor at the University of Southern California, said: “The take-home message from this study, it seems to me, is unambiguous.

“What is officially deemed overweight these days is actually the optimal weight.”

Being Fat ‘lessens Risk of Early Death’

October 29, 2010
By

Carrying a few extra pounds may not be as bad for your life expectancy as was previously thought, US researchers suggested yesterday.

Overweight people have a lower risk of early death than those whose weight is regarded as normal, according to a study of weight and mortality in the US in 2000.

The figures show that underweight is also associated with excess deaths, although not as strongly as high obesity.

Although the death rate does rise quickly in the very obese, the finding has brought an immediate accusation that the serious health consequences of expanding waistlines in developed countries have been overstated.

The study by researchers at the Centres for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says that previous figures for excess deaths due to overweight were based on inadequate data and inadequate adjustment for other factors.

The new figures indicate that while obesity caused nearly 112,000 more deaths than might be expected, 87,000 fewer people in the overweight category died.

That might suggest that, among the obese and overweight in total, there were just 25,000 extra deaths.

Life expectancy in the US increased from 73.7 to 77 in the 20 years up to 2000, although 65% of people over 20 are overweight or obese.

The association between obesity and mortality may have decreased because of improvements in public health or medical care for obesity-related conditions, the authors say.

But, they add: “Such speculation should be tempered by the awareness that these differences between surveys may simply represent chance variation and that small variations in relative risk translate into large differences in the numbers of deaths”.

Barry Glassner, a sociology professor at the University of Southern California, said: “The take-home message from this study, it seems to me, is unambiguous.

“What is officially deemed overweight these days is actually the optimal weight.”

In the Jaws of Death

October 6, 2010
By

A grungy hole dressed in macabre, thick black bricks and hallow bodies. Detective Bruce Mann sits alone. A chain lamp illuminating his shaved skull. He flips open a small notepad. A profile; drawings of women. Scribbled notes read: Teeth, claws, voluptuous lips. As he scans the bar he looks for her. His eyes settle upon a blonde, her long thin legs balancing a beautiful body. To her left, a pig salivates. When she laughs, he laughs. Mann finishes his beer. Nods to the bar keep. Time for you.

A toilet flushes; Mann emerges from the stall and drops a large bag. He washes his hands and face, and then pulls out a jacket and a foam suit, to make him look like a large man. He takes a moment to think, and then takes off his weapon holster, along with the 9mm dangling coldly from it. The suit quickly goes on, and the gun with the holster as well. Mann fastens his jacket and looks at his reflection. His pulls out the last part to this charade, a pair of black rimmed glasses.

Drinking another beer, even in the suit and glasses Detective Mann isn’t the ugliest man here, but he isn’t ugly enough. He looks around the bar, baiting himself with sadness and despair, and then the chested blonde is next to him ordering herself a drink. “Miss? Excuse me, but could I buy you that drink Miss?” Mann tries to sound as miserable as possible, “Sorry big man, but you’re too late, they’re swiping my card.” She starts to turn away. “You have been running through my mind for the longest time.” She turns back, and looks him up and down, and then leans in to whisper, “Are you a fucking pervert?” He looks a bit shocked, “No, but I’m new to this. I just wanted to talk.” She begins to walk away, and he puts away his notepad, like he has been cheating on a test. “I’m single and overweight, a bit of a loner, and I’m venerable.” She slowly turns and looks at him, “YOU’RE vulnerable?” The blonde moves closer to Mann and unzips his jacket, exposing his suit and weapon. “Not too many people carry that into a bar. I’d say you were hardly vulnerable. Is it real?” Mann looks to his 9mm, “Your badge, not the gun. You flipped it out when you came in, so is it real?” Gold, blue lining the edges, Mann holds up the badge; NYPD. “Are you her?” Mann looks into her eyes, “What? Are you undercover?” She begins to laugh. He gets closer to her yet and whispers, “Are you her, the monster?!” With that the blonde just smiles, there’s only one way to find out. Mann bangs the badge against the bar.

The badge slams into a lean arch of a naked back. They are in his apartment now. The blonde bends over the footboard, sweating. Mann pants like a dog from behind. Blooming arms reach toward the ceiling. Mann’s melon muscles ripple along as he maneuvers in and out of yoga poses.

You might say this city is made up of monsters, I can’t argue with that. Sometimes I think I am one myself.

Mann breaks from the yoga and to a karate pose. A quick knee kick and then back to where he was before.

Pimps, thieves, drug addicts. I arrested a man months ago who stabbed a family of three for a pound of turkey, but he wasn’t a monster, only desperate. The REAL monsters are the ones who prey on the desperate. They use their power as a weapon. A monster will take anything they want whether it be money, dignity, or even a life.

The blonde wakes up and notices Mann has left the room. A projector powers on, Mann is illuminated by its flickering blue hue. An anchor man is projected, “In local news, another homicide was reported, linked to another string of recent incidents with middle-aged men and the homicidal female counter part.” Mann is meditating, he doesn’t move. “Last month, nine men have come up dead. Each last scene at a bar.” the Anchor cuts to the police chief telling they that are trying their best.

The naked blonde sits behind Mann and wraps her arms around his bare waste. “There’s a ruthless monster out there…” He continues, “She kills because she is power, and powerful because she kills.” His cell phone rings, without hesitation and still in meditation he answers how he always answers his phone, with just his last name, “Mann.” The police chief on the other end asks him if he has any leads yet; he hangs up. “Babe, there is a monster out there somewhere.” She just looks up at him. They cast silhouettes in front of a picture of a woman who drowned her three children. “I am not a monster… I am strong.”

A gorgeous brunette sits at the bar stirring her drink. Mann is in his fat suit, waiting for the perfect little monster to come to him, he looks to her eyes. They share glances when the fellow next to Mann stands and approaches the woman. His attention is drawn to a couple across the bar yelling. A Redhead is yelling, “Why don’t you just fucking leave! You’re too drunk, and I’m not your whore!” This woman’s Romeo stumbles to his toes, “Arggg… C’mon baby, it’s nothing like that. I mean pfft, you want it.” She points to the door, “Get the fuck out of here Tony!” Tony grabs his coat and walks his way to the door, gets into his vehicle, and drives off.

Mann checks on the Brunette who is still focused on the other fellow. Mann looks at the Redhead, “He seems like an asshole.” The brunette glares at him, “Yeah, but I’m a pushover. Five years we have been together and he still lies to me.” Mann smiles towards her.

Later…

The Redhead finds herself next to Mann again, throwing shots to the back of her throat, five to be exact. “Fuck him! Five years a lie.” She burps and Mann looks over to her, “Yeah, fuck him, you don’t need that shit.” He looks over at the Brunette still talking to the lucky fellow from earlier. “You ever get the feeling that you aren’t getting all to life? Everyday your life gets lower in choices and narrower, and then you realize you fucked your life down the drain… All the missed opportunities, everything you wanted to do, all that gone.” The Redhead throws down more. Mann looks at the Brunette, but his view is blocked by the 2 AM crowd. “You ever feel that way?” The Redhead won’t let him be, Mann has lost the Redhead.

“No.” HE stands up, “Why not?” the Redhead asks. Mann looks at her, smiles, pulls the fat suit off, and takes a shot, “Because babe, I can have whatever the fuck I want.” She stares at him, “What the fuck does that mean?” He pushes her out of the way and heads towards the door. With a crack he busts through the front door, gun drawn. Looking up and down the street he walks into the back alley. Dark and wet, the alley drips, reeking of death. Mann can barely see ten feet in front of him, he moves cautiously, decades of training to back him up. Strafing he looks down the next corner of the alley. He hears the Brunette’s giggle as they turn the next corner onto the street behind the Bar. Saying fuck it to all his years of training he sprints towards the next street, as he turns the corner he locks his gun into the firing position.

A group of club hoppers drop their drinks, “Get the fuck out of here!” Mann yells. They duck away, and again the Brunette giggles, Mann presses towards her, focused on another back alley. With a slide he rounds the next corner. At the opposite end the Brunette is alone, “I’m gonna getcha, I’ll getcha” She softly sings. Mann is stunned, “Stop! Right there!” He charges furiously, gun fixed straight forward at her. “Put your hands in th-” Thud! Mann trips and slams face first into the pavement. He looks up for the Brunette, but she has slipped away. He looks at his hands they are covered in a red liquid, blood, but it’s not his. “Oh my god.” Mann pulls himself up and stumbles backwards, looking over the body of the lucky fellow from the bar.

Mann lies over the Redhead. Naked bodies pumping back and forth. Intoxicated by the please, of liquor, maybe both. The Redhead begins to melt. “You like that? Huh? Come here.” Mann pulls her close to his naked mid-body. “Tell me, have you ever been choked, until you came?” Mann’s knuckles grasp her throat and her eyes bulge, and she screams.

He walks to the bathroom, bare-assed, and begins to masturbate. The chiseled face of a woman in a magazine. Mann lets out an unearthly moan, drowning out the Redhead’s crying from his bedroom.
I am not a monster, I am strong.

A woman with a firm buttocks bounces side to side. Heals clickity-clacking on the pavement below. The Brunette swings a large purse over her shoulder as she enters the Bar. A few middle-aged men find different spots inside. Their eyes shift around the room, looking between cigarette butts to artwork and Men to women. Their gazes draw them to one particular spot. A booth, where our Redhead is seated. She sucks on her cocktail, giggling to herself. Her eyes move back and forth and left and right and then Mann is in front of her, “Surprise bitch!”He pulls her out of the booth and throws her to the ground, stepping on her face. The men start to rush towards him and he lifts up his badge, “Police NYPD!” They stop. Mann waits a moment and then drags her out of the bar.

Mann throws her into a dumpster and drags her by her gorgeous brown hair. “I know you!” The Brunette struggles to her feet but falls, and starts to giggle. “Who am I, Detective Mann!” Mann is stunned; he doesn’t understand how she could possibly know his name. He turns her around and handcuffs her, “I’ve thought of this moment for quite some time, and I figured you would be a bit gentler, but I was mistaken.” She kicks the bag she was carrying, “Won’t you help me with my bag Detective?” Mann looks into the bag, cautiously, opening with one hand and jumps back from bag. He pulls out a bloody knife. She looks at him with a grin, “And what about me? Do you have to turn me in right now, or can we play?”

Mann throws her down on the bed and climbs between her legs, up her torso, and then begins to kiss her tossing his tongue down her throat. She finds her way out from under him, but he jumps back on top, and they roll around until she is on top again. “How about I put on something more comfortable?” Mann lets her go to the rest room. He unbuttons his shirt, the buttons so tiny they refuse to come off quick enough, after spraying himself down with slick cologne he lies in bed awaiting the Brunette. The door slowly creaks open and she merges with an even greater grin, she is wearing nothing at all. She opens her bag on the bed and pulls out a leather whip.

Crack! Mann grits his teeth in wonderful pain, and heaves to the pleasure. She reaches into her bad, and pulls out a thick cord. She comes from the white abyss of sheets, climbing slowly up Mann’s body. She strattles him and wraps the cord around his neck. Mann closes his eyes, choking on ecstasy, but not air, he groans. She tightens the cords grip, the Brunette starts to sway pulsating her hips, groaning becomes louder. Mann lets out a cough, and she begins to move quicker, up and down and up and down, all the while tightening the cords grips. Mann starts to gag. A wicked grin slides across her lips. The pumping quickens. Mann gasps, his eyes grow wide. Scared. He begs her to stop. The cord yet again tightens. Blood rushes to his cheeks. HE shakes trying to escape. The Brunette tightens to cord to her chest, riding Mann. Up and down and up and down. The cord tightens even more; Mann’s eyes start to roll to the back of his head. The Brunette screams with pleasure, giggling. She lets go of the cord, Mann screams gasping for air, “You fucking bitch!” She giggles again, “What?” He stares at her,” I thought you were going to kill me.” She picks back up the cord, “Would you like it if I did?” He laughs but she is serious. “No, not again, that was amazing. I just need to catch my breath.”

Mann lays back finally able to relax when he hears a loud thud. He opens his eyes and the Brunette is standing over him with a glass jar full of different kinds of lube. “Cherry, Warming Sensation, Tingling… A nice collection if I do say so myself.” He looks at her, “Do you want me to make you cum?” She giggles, “No Detective I can do that myself.” Look seems confused, “Why, you don’t want my help?” She smiles and then Thud… Thud… the last Thud cracks his skull the jar breaks open, spilling lube all over Mann. “Because Detective, Death loves necrophilia.” She jumps back on him, and begins to ride. His feet twitch with his last bit of life. The Brunette continues to ride his corpse.

Being Fat ‘lessens Risk of Early Death’

October 6, 2010
By

Carrying a few extra pounds may not be as bad for your life expectancy as was previously thought, US researchers suggested yesterday.

Overweight people have a lower risk of early death than those whose weight is regarded as normal, according to a study of weight and mortality in the US in 2000.

The figures show that underweight is also associated with excess deaths, although not as strongly as high obesity.

Although the death rate does rise quickly in the very obese, the finding has brought an immediate accusation that the serious health consequences of expanding waistlines in developed countries have been overstated.

The study by researchers at the Centres for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, says that previous figures for excess deaths due to overweight were based on inadequate data and inadequate adjustment for other factors.

The new figures indicate that while obesity caused nearly 112,000 more deaths than might be expected, 87,000 fewer people in the overweight category died.

That might suggest that, among the obese and overweight in total, there were just 25,000 extra deaths.

Life expectancy in the US increased from 73.7 to 77 in the 20 years up to 2000, although 65% of people over 20 are overweight or obese.

The association between obesity and mortality may have decreased because of improvements in public health or medical care for obesity-related conditions, the authors say.

But, they add: “Such speculation should be tempered by the awareness that these differences between surveys may simply represent chance variation and that small variations in relative risk translate into large differences in the numbers of deaths”.

Barry Glassner, a sociology professor at the University of Southern California, said: “The take-home message from this study, it seems to me, is unambiguous.

“What is officially deemed overweight these days is actually the optimal weight.”

Ethiopia proves there can be life after death

July 30, 2010
By

Three decades ago, Jonathan Dimbleby came out of Ethiopia with harrowing images of hunger that claimed at least 100,000 lives. Now he returns to find despair has been replaced by hope that the country can escape the new famine.

In Ethiopia the images always linger. This time, in the summer of 2002, three little children standing arm in arm outside their hovel by our hotel in Dessie smiling and waving goodbye as we swept out of their lives on our way back to Addis Ababa.

The first time, almost 30 years ago, likewise in Dessie: also three little children, but they were lying entwined on a wooden pallet of branches, naked, eyes wide open, skin like parchment over empty bellies, the flies tormenting their dead bodies.

That was in 1973, when I stumbled on a famine which had already claimed upwards of 100,000 lives but which the government had concealed from the outside world. The film of this holocaust, which I made with a team from the ITV programme This Week, ricocheted around the globe. It was the first ‘television’ catastrophe of its kind and it soon raised over $150 million – in today’s money – which triggered a huge international relief operation.

A few months later, The Unknown Famine, as we called our report, became a catalyst for the overthrow of the quasi-feudal regime of Haile Selassie. Crudely recut to include scenes of high life at the imperial palace and retitled The Hidden Hunger, our footage was used to devastating effect on Ethiopian television to soften up the Emperor’s subjects for the military coup which brought Comrade – later President – Mengistu to power.

For doing what any other journalist would have done, I became a kind of hero of the Ethiopian nation. It was both a heady and embarrassing experience, but it also meant that I was virtually the only foreign reporter allowed to witness the convulsions which then began to bring this ancient and proud nation to its knees: further famines, a vicious and self-destructive military campaign in Eritrea, and a pogrom in the name of ‘revolutionary Marxism’ against rivals and dissidents during which thousands of young people, including my friends, were murdered and left on the streets with tags on their necks warning others to take note. It was known colloquially – and with no sense of irony – as ‘red terror’.

After five years of this, I could stomach no more and said so as loudly as possible – not least on the BBC World Service and in these pages. The accidental hero became officially a ‘traitor to the revolution’ and I was denied a visa for a decade.

By the time I was allowed in again (only to be banned again) Ethiopia had virtually disintegrated. By then, the combination of the ‘Bob Geldof’ famine of 1984-85 and the blood which had been shed in Eritrea by both sides had imprinted on our collective memory an indelible image of Ethiopia as a nation of skeletons and savagery. By 1991, when Mengistu fled to Kenya (where his good friend, Daniel arap Moi, still gives him sanctuary), Ethiopia was indeed on its knees.

Today this beautiful and beleaguered country is still one of the world’s poorest states and by far the largest in that desperate category. With a per capita income of around $100 a year – a third less than what is regarded as starvation levels of income by the UN – and a population that has more than doubled in 30 years to more than 65 million, Ethiopia is getting poorer year by year.

This prospect – for those who love this country and admire its people – is unendurable; I imagine it is the same for any other thoughtful member of the human race.

According to the World Food Programme, this year – which is better than last year in this always hungry land – more than five million people will need food aid to ward off starvation (and that figure, as yet unnoticed by the media, is in addition to the widely publicised 12 million people ‘at risk’ in southern Africa). For all these reasons, it is not difficult to perpetuate an image of Ethiopia as some kind of African ‘basket case’. But to the growing frustration of its proud, resilient and independent people, this wicked phrase (originally used by Henry Kissinger about Bangladesh) is not only to dehumanise a nation, it is also to miss the point.

It is true: I am not detached about Ethiopia. Perhaps I have witnessed too much hunger, disease and poverty for it to be otherwise. But modern Ethiopia (not quite a contradiction in terms) is, I believe, both the same as it always was and yet – at last – fundamentally different.

Of course, Dessie – dreadfully, stinkingly poor Dessie – is still the most impoverished town of its size (100,000 population) in Ethiopia, perhaps in Africa. It still has only one hospital and five doctors to serve a continuing catastrophe of sickness and disease in a far-flung community of five million people.

Even in a part of the world which displays an absolute absence of wimpishness or self-pity, this is mission impossible. But – and it is the biggest ‘but’ of my life – it is almost safe to say that we will not again see mass starvation here or anywhere else in the Northern Highlands, the epicentre of the 1973 and 1984 famines.

With the help of the UN, the European Union, the United States and numerous international charities, the Ethiopian government has finally established a food storage and distribution network which two years ago managed to deliver emergency relief to no fewer than 10 million hungry people; an extraordinary achievement in a country whose infrastructure still belongs more to the Middle Ages than the twenty-first century.

But none of that should be of more than momentary comfort to anyone who is either affronted by the grotesque inequities that make Africa ‘a scar on the conscience of the world’ or who realise that the ‘war against terrorism’ must become ‘a war against poverty’ or we will all be done for.

You do not need much imagination to appreciate the significance of the relevant UN statistics for Ethiopia. Despite a host of imaginative rural development programmes (devised and administered by Ethiopians and international agencies working together in genuine partnerships), the heart sinks to discover that in 2002 only 25 per cent of the people have access to safe water and only 15 per cent have access to adequate sanitation; or that Ethiopia is so poor that 49 per cent of the population – more than 30 million people – are undernourished; or that 47 per cent of the little children – that in Britain we call ‘the under fives’ – are grievously underweight, their physical and intellectual growth permanently stunted. If you were prone to self-indulgence, it would make you weep.

The Ethiopian government cannot afford such sentiment. Its answer is ‘education, education, education’ and Meles Zenawi – who led the guerrilla campaign that finally overthrew the Mengistu regime – has made this his personal crusade.

It has already made a difference. When he became Prime Minister of a country traumatised by civil war, only 30 per cent of children were enrolled at primary school; in the past five years that proportion has risen to 42 per cent. But this is still the lowest rate in Africa – and almost half of these drop out before the end of the first year.

It is not hard to understand this. In a country where 80 per cent of adults lead life on the land that in the West would be judged as better suited to a beast of burden than a human, children are regarded by parents as a crucial economic resource: needed to mind the sheep and the goats, to till the soil, to fetch water and firewood. Then, if they overcome that hurdle, there is the journey to school: a barefoot walk of perhaps three hours – with the ever-present risk, if you are a girl, of abduction or rape.

Invariably hungry and listless from lack of nutrition, these seven-year-olds finally reach their destination to find themselves crowded into a classroom designed for 30 but filled with a hundred other children, often without books or pencil and paper – where they are taught by rote and never allowed to speak.

By European standards their teachers are woefully ill-trained, and even by Ethiopian standards they are low-paid. They enjoy little respect, their morale is abject and most of them truant for much of the day searching for more financially – and psychologically – rewarding jobs.

But what I like about the new Ethiopia – at federal and regional level – is its openness about all of this; officials no longer pretend or obfuscate. They know that education is a disaster area and they say so, even in the most official of official papers. For example, the Education Bureau for the Amhara region (where Dessie is located) admits that its primary school enrolment is below the national average and concedes ‘a lot has to be done to enrol the remaining 60 per cent of school-age children’. There is precious little spinning in Ethiopia.

Nor is there despair. Instead, Meles is instituting a programme of radical reform. I was in Ethiopia as president of VSO, which meant I sat in on meetings between some of our 60 volunteers and their Ethiopian counterparts, working together at every level to transform teaching methods and the curriculum. Our VSOs have spent far too many years in British classrooms to be starry-eyed, but those I saw are convinced the government is on the right track – though they doubt whether Ethiopia has any chance of meeting the UN target of ‘universal primary education’ by 2015.

As a freedom fighter who ‘came out of the bush’ to rescue Ethiopia from the vortex, Meles allows himself no false dawns. He came to power promising freedom and democracy.

Ten years on, the electoral process is far from flawless and the abuse of human rights persists. Students have been shot dead at political demonstrations; newspaper editors have been imprisoned without trial for allegedly belonging to one or another of the small terrorist groups which seek ‘liberation’ from the federal state; members of opposition parties have faced harassment and beatings; and last year an internationally respected human rights campaigner, Professor Mesfin Wolde-Mariam, was detained for allegedly ‘inciting’ students.

Such heavy-handedness troubles the Prime Minister’s allies in the diplomatic community who, like me, are inclined to believe that he is a man of integrity. When I first met him four years ago, I suggested that, if he was genuine about creating a democratic Ethiopia, he should look forward to the day when he was removed from power in a free election. He did not hesitate: ‘If that does not happen, I shall have failed.’

Today Ethiopia remains – in practice – a one-party state, so I ask the same question and he gives the same answer. But in his patient and measured way, he is scathing about those of his critics who want him to go further and faster. Do they not understand that in a country as battered as Ethiopia, democracy and human rights cannot be conjured out of thin air merely by exhortation? Do they not realise that until the civil service, the judiciary, the police service, and the nation’s intelligentsia all understand the concepts and embrace the culture, these Western values will not take root?

Some of the Prime Minister’s supportive critics in the diplomatic community say that he should spend less time in his office and instead – security permitting – should get out and find out first hand what people think of him and his government. Meles’s response is telling: ‘Africa’s downfall has always been the cult of the personality. And their names always seem to begin with M. We’ve had Mobutu and Mengistu and I’m not going to add Meles to the list.’

I should have countered with Mandela, but I thought of it too late.

If he were to pay Dessie a visit, he would, I think, find cause for encouragement. I notice that people now speak openly to me in front of others; that they no longer drop their voices when they criticise the government. And where not so long ago officials were terrified to think for themselves, there is a new confidence, a willingness to explore ideas and debate controversial questions that a mere decade ago would have been unthinkable.

And yet I find myself thinking about 11 September, or more precisely of Bill Clinton’s warning, echoed by Tony Blair and elaborated by Chris Patten, about the need for an all-out war on poverty in Africa. Meles is as eloquent as any of the three.

‘Where there is economic and social decay, there is bound to be political turmoil,’ he told a recent conference of African leaders – ’11 September has conclusively proved that you cannot have a desperate ghetto next door to a prosperous safe haven; in a globalised environment, security is indivisible’.

If Meles is right, then the West had better offer more than ‘recycled peanuts’ as its contribution to a new partnership with Africa. Ethiopia has signed up for the free market – there is no alternative – but has yet to reap any of the dividends.

How can anyone doubt the need for radical reform of the world trading system when Ethiopia has met all the demands of the IMF and the World Bank but is still getting poorer and poorer? Or when the price of coffee on the world market crashes by 40 per cent?

‘I don’t suppose you noticed the difference at Starbucks,’ an Ethiopian friend said, ‘but we have. And as coffee is our principal export, 15 million people are directly affected.’ The truth is that Ethiopia is at the mercy of a system which, so far, has enriched the rich by impoverishing the poor. And that is simply not sustainable.

Which takes me to the girls waving goodbye as we left Dessie. They were three of Ethiopia’s Aids orphans. They now live in a shack in a red-light district, but are surrounded by caring neighbours. A few months ago a priest offered to move and look after them, but the neighbours became suspicious. They talked to the eldest girl (who is 14) and she said he had tried to do nasty things to her. The priest was beaten up and run out of town.

Those girls were fortunate. There are now almost one million Aids orphans in Ethiopia (more than anywhere in Africa) and since most of them face destitution they are very vulnerable.

Of course, if Ethiopa had access to the drugs routinely available in the West their young parents might still be alive. I wonder how is it that those who sit on the boards of the giant pharmaceutical companies – who dispose of life and death in the marketplace – can live with the fact that they have imposed a death sentence on millions of innocent people by clinging to ‘intellectual property rights’; by doing all they can to prohibit the manufacture of cheap generic alternatives to their branded life-savers; and even by refusing to forego some proportion of their vast profits to make anti-retrovirals available at below cost price to those countries that need them.

I would like to take these people to meet those little girls in Dessie. The eldest would produce a photograph of their parents. And she would probably ask these important visitors why their parents did not get those special drugs. And I hope their visitors would be shamed into silence. The desperate truth is that in Ethiopia, as elsewhere in Africa, the scourge of Aids is destroying the future.

Almost 30 years ago, I ended The Unknown Famine with the words, ‘these people need food, medicine and blankets – and they need these things now’. Today I would say ‘they need justice and fairness – and they need these things now’. And, mindful of 11 September, I would add: ‘Or else.’

· The first of Jonathan Dimbleby’s two radio documentaries, ‘Ethiopia: Beyond Hunger’, is on BBC Radio 4, tomorrow at 8pm.

Death Sentence for Snack Shop Owner Who Poisoned 38 Students

July 24, 2010
By

The snack shop owner who killed 38 students and workers by poisoning a rival’s stock two weeks ago has been sentenced to death in a swift display of Chinese justice.

Chen Zhengping, who confessed to planting the poison in the food of his rival in Nanjing, was paraded to the court yesterday in a convoy of more than 20 police vehicles.

He was quickly put on trial at the Nanjing intermediate people’s court and sentenced to death.

Nanjing residents were said to have “lined the road to watch and praised the authorities for acting swiftly”.

Public parades to and from court are often used to impress or satisfy public opinion.

There was panic and anger throughout the city after the news of the mass poisoning spread.

The speedy sentencing is also intended to dispose of the case before the National Day celebrations tomorrow, which will be followed by a week’s holiday for many Chinese.

Chen’s sentence should be reviewed automatically in the near future by an appeal court. It would be unheard of for the verdict to be reversed or, in a crime of this gravity, the sentence commuted to life.

When he is executed, he is likely to be paraded to the place of execution in an open truck: again standard practice.

Most of the victims were school children and workers buying breakfast snacks before attending classes or going to work.

Many quickly fell unconscious and foamed at the month. More than 200 were rushed to eight hospitals.

Chen fled the scene and was caught the next day on a train about 370 miles north of Nanjing. He is said to have confessed promptly, explaining that he was resentful of his rival’s success.

Official reporting has stressed the efforts made by senior and local government officials to deal with the disaster, dwelling on their “concern” for the victims.

But there have been local complaints in Nanjing that the police were slow in identifying the unwitting source of the poison, so that the snacks continued to be sold for several hours.

Chen used a brand of rat poison called dushuqiang which has been banned since the mid-1990s.

Media reports have shown that it is still on open sale at street markets in Nanjing and elsewhere.

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