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Jimbalaya
Smith’s son tried to help himself
By JIM HARRINGTON
Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006 |
A few weeks ago when the news came that Anna Nicole Smith’s son had died, and that his death was considered suspicious, it just seemed like a tragic ending to a young life.
Details emerged that he was on psychiatric medicine, and the implication was made that he somehow had a role in his own death. Perhaps it was an overdose. Or that the drug forced his mind to turn on itself. Or that the drug manufacturer, aware of possible dangers, pushed through the medication despite its possible safety record.
For the record, authorities are saying, according to ABC News, that Daniel Wayne Smith’s death was not suicidal or homicidal, but in light of the Tom Cruise/Brooke Shields flap, it bears mentioning that a slew of ailments are safely treated with medicine, including high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney and liver ailments, diabetes and other so-called physical (legitimate?) disorders.
The brain, like any other part of the body, is no different.
Vitamins are good for you as is exercise but they can’t, by themselves, treat depression or anxiety like counseling or psychiatric medicine can.
Don’t let some folks in the community fool you.
Speaking of drugs, published reports said that Wal-Mart is now offering as a test trial a 30-day supply of generic meds for $4 in the Tampa Bay area.
Have you paid $10, $20 or even $30 for a month’s supply of a crucial, life-saving drug?
We’ll see if this vindicates the Arkansas-based company, which has been charged with competition-killing buying practices, not to mention abysmal labor relations stemming from its low wages.
We’ll see how Walgreens, CVS and other retail pharmacies respond to this volley from Wal-Mart.
Hmmm … what about mail order delivery services that many insurance plans refuse to cover?
What was he thinking?
Pope Benedict XVI, at a Sept. 12 speech at Regensburg, Germany, infuriated many in the Muslim world with his comments.
He’s a knowledgeable man, an important world figure whose expertise and brilliance should have forced him to watch what comes out of his mouth.
Fortunately, according to publications, including the New York Times, he has taken great strides to atone for his sins. Over the weekend he spoke with Muslim diplomats at his summer residence in hopes of easing tensions after his remarks sparked outcries.
In his speech, the pope cited a text from a book in which a Byzantine emperor referred to the Prophet Muhammad as “evil and inhuman” who demanded that the Muslim faith be spread by the sword.
We must remember that the 79-year-old pope has only been head of the church since April 2005. He is used to an international audience, but his recent actions in light of the scandal show that, at the very least, the world should now examine the context of his speech in Germany.
The pope is unlikely to make the same mistake again.
Jim Harrington is the editor of the Largo Leader, Clearwater Citizen.
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Article published on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006
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