Rep. John Murtha Passed Away At 77
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s first choice for majority leader, Pennsylvania Rep. John C. Murtha, died today of complications relating to a gallbladder surgery. Murtha was 77.
A decorated Vietnam War hero, Pelosi credited Murtha with helping to turn public opinion against the war in Iraq after he announced his opposition to the war in 2005. Murtha had voted to send troops to Iraq in 2002 but over the years changed his mind after no weapons of mass destruction were found and questions emerged about the intelligence leading up to the war. “The American public is way ahead of us,” Murtha wrote in November 2005 as he was sponsoring a resolution asking President Bush to set a timeline of withdrawal of troops from Iraq. “The United States and coalition troops have done all they can in Iraq, but it is time for a change in direction.”
Murtha “understood the misery of war,” said Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey in a statement on Murtha’s passing. “Every person who serves in the military has lost an advocate and a good friend today.”
Murtha was born in 1932 in New Martinsville, West Virginia, near the Pennsylvania border to an Irish American family. The Eagle Scout left William and Jefferson College to enlist in the Marines, becoming a drill sergeant at the Marine’s training facility on Parris Island before he was selected as an officer. He left the Marines in 1995, enlisting in the reserves, only to raise his hand for the Vietnam War in 1966-67, winning a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry. Read more
The Best Life Diet Last Free Day at Oprah
Tonight is a big day for diabetes research. First Cambridge University researches use artificial pancreas as hope for diabetes. Oprah and Dr. Oz have a big night about diabetes and, as showed on her site, it is the last day of Bob Green’s Best Life Diet free 30 day trial.
Dr. Oz called diabetes as America’s silent killer. He calls on America to wake up, prevent and fight diabetes. Then, Dr. Ian Smith, Bob Greene and chef Art Smith talk on how to stop America’s silent killer: diabetes.
Dr. Green has offered a free 30 day trial of his Best Life Diet program as one way to prevent diabetes. It includes health meal plans, 3-phased approach, clear calorie goals and support from friends. The site claims that many people have lost weight and gotten healthier on The Best Life Diet. Now it aims to help the millions of people who have pre-diabetes or diabetes. Read more
Casey Johnson died of diabetes-related condition
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Socialite Casey Johnson’s death was related to her nearly lifelong diabetes, the Los Angeles County coroner said Thursday.
Johnson, 30, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson health care products fortune, died of diabetic ketoacidosis, the coroner said in a terse news release. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition caused by lack of insulin and sky-high blood sugar.
An autopsy was conducted Jan. 5, a day after Johnson’s body was found at her home. The coroner’s statement said the autopsy report would be available within two weeks.
“If you have somebody with diabetes, there should be somebody checking up on that person,” said Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner in New York City who has been an expert witness in cases involving the late comedian John Belushi and former pro football star O.J. Simpson. Read more
