Light [Up] at the End of the Tunnel

The fact that the trapped Chilean miners are being supplied with cigarettes can be taken to mean either of two things.  First, that things are going so well in their rescue effort that we can all pause for a smoke.  Or, that this is the proverbial last wish granted to the condemned.  Obviously, at least some of them are heavy smokers, given the fact that they had been requesting cigarettes insistently.  Which goes to show everybody how strong the smoking urge can be.  I suppose that this also proves that they have more than adequate ventilation down there, or else that they have an enormous death wish and want to add secondhand smoke to their already dire situation.

In any event, I would bet that the tobacco company would love to be able to use this as part of their publicity.  Imagine, "smoking is so good that you enjoy it even in the worst circumstances..."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Belgian Buggery

The Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal won't go away; instead, it keeps growing every day.  Take the story out of Belgium, where a report has been issued that details what went on, including more than a dozen suicides linked to the abuse perpetrated by priests and  a cover up that continues to this day, when a Belgian bishop suggested that a complaint be withheld until 2011, when the bishop who covered up for the offending priest will retire.  With each passing day, it becomes more and more difficult to hold that this behavior was just the work of a few rogue priests.  There are just too many cases all around the world, for anyone to believe such a thing. This is clearly a major problem which the church tried to hide from the authorities and recklessly let it continue, without any regard for children elsewhere, by transferring priests.  There is no excuse for this unpardonable sin.
Read more

Chinese Capitalism

The fact that Asia now boasts of having the biggest number of millionaires in the world is a sign of the times. The predictions of a few years ago have come true: China is the world's next superpower, and the increasing wealth of its economic elite shows it. The sleeping dragon has awakened.
Read more

No Honor

As a firm believer in independence for Puerto Rico from the United States, I sympathize with independence movements all around the world, as well as with the recognition of those who have fought for it. Having said that, I find it absurd that India plans to spend $33 million on a statue twice the size of the Statue of Liberty to honor one of its independence heroes. Especially so, when that is twice the expenditure for girls' education and $8 million more than what will be spent for women's safety, in a country in which the rape of women is brutal and commonplace. It makes you wonder about what Gandhi would have said about something like this.
Read more