There’s smoke in the air; it looks almost white-ish; Papal expectations, everybody’s watching for you The populi in St Peter’s Square, they all seem to know you The cardinals act like you’re all infallible now Bennie the Sixteenth, the new Pope in Rome Everybody venerates you, ma illegitimi non carborundum You look in the cameras; the choir begins to sing Hopeful Roman antics, and you’re the guy in charge But after awhile, you’re fidgetin’ in your cassock It’s not the damn tailor’s fault you’re a medium-large Bennie the Sixteenth, the new Pope in Rome They all venerate you, ma illegitimi…

Chicago Tribune | Iraq bomb takes `angel’ of mercy There was also an NPR story on Marla – she was interviewed a few years ago and you can hear her talk about her work. She was a relative unknown, but I feel her loss – I admire people who can really put their money where their mouth is, and she ran her charity on her own meagre savings until she managed to bully and embarass our government and military to take notice, step up, and “do the right thing.” She basically got Congress to fund aid and medical care for…

As seen at Boing Boing: Kevin Sites wins 2005 Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism. This is great news, and very much deserved. I’ve been a reader of Kevin Sites‘ blog since before the “incident” that put him in the hot story, in addition to reporting it. The award will be presented at the University of Oregon J-school on May 12. As a Duck myself, I’m doubly glad and proud. And if Kevin Sites sees this – go to Taylor‘s and have a beer. Well done you.

I suppose you could say this is a culture of death, too. And an unembalmed one, too. And the funeral is not until Friday? Um. Not weak-tummy safe, that last link. But quite useful for watching the next new episodes of CSI:Whichever.

I hate when the terrorists mock us with the annoying “neener neener.”

While reading the excellent journal of ginmar, I ran across this item: CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) — Gov. Rod Blagojevich approved an emergency rule Friday requiring pharmacies to fill birth control prescriptions quickly after a Chicago pharmacist refused to fill an order because of moral opposition to the drug. … The Chicago pharmacist was not the first to attract attention for refusing to fill a birth control prescription. In February, a judge recommended that a Roman Catholic pharmacist in Wisconsin be reprimanded and required to attend ethics classes after the pharmacist blocked a woman’s attempt to fill a prescription for birth…

This was who Terri Schiavo was 15 years ago or more: vibrant, pretty, bright. She was a real knockout, in fact. No wonder her husband fell in love witih her at first sight and fought so hard for her care in the first few years after her collapse, coma, and entry into a persistent vegetative state. He did everything he could to bring her back, but after several years he came to accept what the doctors told him as far back as 1994: her cerebral cortex was “all but gone.” 11 years ago. “All but gone.” Michael and the doctors…

Inspired by satirist Adam Felber’s Living Will, my husband David posted the following: Adam has the right idea here, although he puts a distinctly humorous slant on it. I’m going to be a bit more serious about it. Let’s make it perfectly clear here … I David Michael Gibbs, being of sound mind and body (more or less), do hear-by state the following for the official record: Should I ever be incapacitated, through injury or illness, to such an extent that I am unable to communicate at any level and the quality of my life is such that I am…

BBC NEWS | Americas | Court killings suspect arrested BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Notorious BIG murder case closed BBC NEWS | Americas | Gunman murders seven at US hotel BBC NEWS | World | Americas | US judge family shot ‘in revenge’ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Music | Rap crews face ban over shootings BBC NEWS | England | Hampshire | US-based man shot dead in robbery BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Funeral for Italian shot in Iraq BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Arts | Thompson ‘shot himself on phone’ BBC NEWS | Americas | Memorial…

We remember, Madrid. Joi Ito is in Madrid for the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security; it’s no accident that this meeting was timed to take place there. He’s moderated a Democracy, Terrorism, and the Internet panel, and there’s another meeting he’s in called the Atocha Creative Policy Workshop, too. It appears from the schedule and comparing Chicago time to Madrid time that the session he’s in starts in a minute or so. It’s currently 929am as I type, and the conference starts at 4:30pm Madrid time – right about now. And yes, it appears that it’s being updated…