Wonder Why the No-Smoking Campaign?

...because I still wonder why the chief litigant in the wannabe class action suit against Dow Chemical to monitor non-existent health problems decided dioxin is a chemical to be feared! The last time I saw her she was putting toxic chemicals directly into her lungs... puffing away on a cigarette! Doesn't she realize that, among hundreds of other toxins cigarettes contain at least three of the most toxic substances identified by the ATSDR?

Yesterday's Detroit Free Press featured a photo of Ms. Henry's pristine white kitchen being vacuumed by members of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Do you suppose their findings of dioxin included cigarette ash? Why could MDEQ search for dioxin in Ms. Henry's home and yard but not in mine? I've lived here much longer than she has! ...and she stood right up and complained at the Tittabawassee Township CAP meeting on dioxin that she feared the University of Michigan study would not include HER! My biggest fear is they will not choose me because I don't think dioxin is a problem.

But I digress... I naturally had to google a cigarette smokers lungs and ended up not blogging here. I hope mine don't look like that. I was finally able to quit in April 1993, and I'm healthier and happier for that tough struggle. It was a Dow product that gave me the help I needed, by the way... Nicoderm which was a prescription drug then. Below is a bit of information for you and your Dow-hating buddies, Ms. Henry. This chart was part of the presentation at the May 26 community meeting on dioxin in Midland. Find more recent updates here.


Click the chart to read it better.
I wonder how many environmental extremist activists smoke something... Anyway, onward. I also want to share a related article from the Midland Daily News. This was sent to my by my friend Bill Egerer who also responded to the article on line. Pollutants are closer than you might think is a 'must read.'

Recently I've been finding myself conflicted since my neighbors and I became the 'filling' for a Dow Chemical/MDEQ dioxin sandwich.

I am a member of the Hackert Lake Association, whose existence and goals require interaction and cooperation with the MDEQ. I will remain a member of the association but I quit as webmaster of the Hackert Lake website I developed. Somebody else can easily take over maintenance. I also turned over responsibility for the Hackert Lake Reflections newsletter to somebody else. I cannot in all good conscience support efforts of MDEQ at the lake when I feel personally threatened by that same agency. I don't need the paranoia I felt when I saw the MDEQ's 40 foot boat on our little lake, drawing core samples... searching for a reason to find fault with my retreat away from my situation as a 'facility' here at home.

Now I'm 'loaded for bear' and ready to go!