Missteps & Misdirections -

Diabetes is the cause of most lower limb amputations in the U.S., but you would never know that if you were watching American TV in recent weeks.

In heavy rotation is a commercial featuring scary amputation portraits which are designed to persuade viewers that Smoking is the most common cause of such amputations.

Diabetes is rampant in this country, but it is also a billion-dollar profit-making business here with an entire industry pandering to it.

This "PSA" is part of a current propaganda campaign to pressure people to switch from tobacco products to proprietary replacement products belonging to the American Pharmaceutical Industry in order to increase their profits.

# Although the Homeless in Florida do not constitute a monolithic group of people, they are often abused in a dehumanizing manner, because they make easily accessible scapegoats. Florida has one of the highest Foreclosure rates in the country.

The reality is that thousands of homes stand empty and can be invaded by rats, lizards, and even coyotes, while some people seem to spend a lot of their time inventing new ways to abuse those who are less fortunate than they are.

For example: a homeless man has just been arrested in Florida for trying to recharge his mobile phone at a charging station located in a public park.

# Via Romenesko we learn that Jen Campbell, a blogger in London who works in an antiquarian bookstore, has a new book making its debut called Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores. Jerome Ludwig muses about that in Chicago.

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