Author: Darlene Mitchell

Sgt. Ron Helus Dies In Mass Shooting

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Sgt. Ron Helus Confronted Mass Shooter In Thousand Oaks and Died Saving Multiple Lives

Sgt Ron Helus Saved Lives When He Engaged Mass Shooter At Thousand Oak’s Bar

No place is safe. Thousand Oaks, California is one of the safest cities in America. Yet even here mass shootings have become the feared and the expected. There were hundreds of people crowded in to the Borderline Bar for a ‘college night’ party when a gunman burst in tossing smoke grenades and firing dozens of rounds.

First on the scene. Sgt. Helus was one of the first police officers on the scene and without back up or hesitation he charged the front door. Many survivors believe it was Helus’ quick action to engage the shooter that saved lives.

Duty before safety. Sgt Ron Helus was a 29 year veteran of the Ventura County (California) Sheriff’s office. Ron is survived by a wife and son. Sgt Helus had planned on retiring next year, but instead will be buried this week. Mass shootings have occurred 307 times in the last 311 days. It is time to bring sanity to gun control in America.

Rest in peace Sgt. Ron Helus. You are much loved.

Trump Racism Is Bad For America-Part I

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Part I:Trump Racism Is Bad For America-

 

By Trevor K. McNeil

Trump racism, antisemitic attacks, and political threats: *”The die hath been cast” my friends and the writing is on the wall. In twenty-foot high blood dripping letters. Donald Trump is a racist; or, *”at least all the racists think he is”. Donald John Trump, Defiler of Democracy and Desecrator of Innocents has well and truly gone too far. With a wink and nod, accidentally on purpose, Trump inspired the worst instance of mail bombing since the Unabomber.  Trump has made shifting lies, heated rhetoric and vicious attacks on his rivals a winning strategy for small base election victory.

Words matter: Clearly Trump has moved the thermostat of racial hatred to high. The endless attacks on his political rivals, people of color, and immigrants ignite his narrow support base. His reckless inflammatory comments, his race baiting, his name calling have made him an idol of the alt-right. What is becoming ever more clear is Trump’s racism.

A bomber’s agenda: Let’s be very clear the names on the bomber’s hit list were taken right off the Trump rally hate list. Mind you, four of the people on the bomber’s hit list were two former U.S. presidents and their wives! This is the worst attack on a political party in American history. Investigators revealed that the bomber’s list included over 100 people. One hundred people, from the “Other” side. As far as we know the bomber mailed only 14 pipe bombs.

The common theme is hate: A white gunman known for posting disturbing  online threats against blacks was seen attempting to break into a black church in Jeffersontown, Kentucky. Failing at the church break-in the he headed to the local Kroger grocery store where he approached two black customers and shot them point blank in the head. He was arrested near-by after the event without resistance. Authorities have charged him with multiple hate crimes.

Ak-15 the weapon of choice: On Saturday, Oct. 27th, 2018 the worst attack on Jewish citizens in U.S. history occurred. A radical voice of extreme right messaging walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue and massacred eleven Jews while they prayed. The gunman, using an AK-15 seriously wounded six more, three of the wounded included responding police officers. Prosecutors have charged the suspect with multiple hate crimes.

More inappropriate response: Inconceivably, several self described vigilante groups have formed in response to a caravan of immigrants from Central America reportedly headed north toward the U.S. southern border. The migrant caravan is at least a 1,000 miles away, and consists mostly of women and children. The right wing propaganda machine is fueling fear and anger among American citizens. The vigilantes vow to shoot the immigrants “if need be.” My question is, will we soon be witnessing a massacre of asylum seekers at our southern border? My God, I pray not.

Dark history: After the end of the Civil War a period of Reconstruction was begun in the south. Resistance to the northern oversight quickly formed. Southern activists formed paramilitary groups of White supremacists to thwart forced Reconstruction. Military groups lynched blacks and burned their homes. Disenfranchising and terrorizing the black population was the central goal of the white supremacy groups of the period. Of those 19th century hate groups the Ku Klux Klan was the most infamous. After the cementing of Jim Crow laws the original Klan disbanded, their goals achieved.

A rebirth:  New leaders revived the Klan in the 20th century for a new cause. The revival was  a defensive reaction to the massive wave of immigrants arriving in America. The “new” Klan refused to limit its hate. The new version of the Ku Klux Klan expanded their targeted hate campaign beyond the Blacks to include immigrants, most particularly the Jews, the Mexicans, the Catholics, the Asians, the Irish, and the Poles. In effect, anyone not white and native-born.

Tell tale surge:  There has been a palpable uptick in terms of hate groups since the ascension of Trump and Trump racism. The Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan claim to be the fastest growing hate group in America, proclaiming their membership numbers have gone up by thousands since Trump was elected, particularly in predominantly African-American cities such as St. Louis and Baltimore.

Change is in the air:  Attitudes are changing and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. In August 2018 there was a White Power group rally in the small rural Pennsylvania town of Ulysses. The town was proudly awash with Nazi flags and swastikas one year after Charlottesville, Va where a group of “very fine” white supremacists rallied, terrorized the town and left one counter-protester dead.

White supremacists groups surge in membership:   Quite simply Trump racism is setting the tone. The election of Donald Trump has emboldened hate groups in the United States. The Traditional Worker’s Party, formed after the 2016 presidential election reports large numbers of new recruits.

Trump racism shows itself: Trump racism is right there in his rhetoric. His near constant use of “they” and “them” is classic moral dissociation. He might as well say, “us” and “them”.  Is Trump a member of the KKK, or the Nazi’s? Not demonstrably. Evidence indicates Trump Sr, had ties to the KKK.  Although there is not direct evidence of such an affiliation for Donald Trump it doesn’t mean it is not true. David Duke, Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan fully embraces Trump and Trump does not criticize the Grand Wizard, because they are all “fine people.”

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ON-LINE BULLYING, TRUMP STYLE

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On-Line Bullying, Trump Style

By Megan Wallin

Melania Reflects On Her “Be Best” Campaign

Tom Llamas’ recent interview with Melania Trump  revealed several important facts:  (1) On-line bullying is a serious and growing problem  (2) She believes herself to be “one of” the most bullied people in the world (3) She is willing to speak on camera about controversial topics, with no questions off-limits.

A Classic On-Line Bully

Melania seems to understand that her husband is a classic example of an on-line bully, but she claims that her stance on bullying is neither ironic, nor clandestine. She did not describe Donald as supportive of her “Be Best” campaign, but she claimed that, “He didn’t say not to do it”.

Buffering her earlier statement she explained “He understands that he is very tough on Twitter,” but likewise “he also understands that I want to help the next generation.”

She reiterated, multiple times, that she wants to do “the right thing” regardless of public perception.

Is She A Resource?

In the ABC interview FLOTUS claimed that she was influential in Donald’s reversal of his zero tolerance immigration policy. This cruel administration policy separated children from their parents at the Mexican border. If she actually effected the reversal of such cruel policy then surely we should start tapping into this neglected resource!

Redirect

On-line bullying, when confined to the comment section of YouTube, although inappropriate, does little damage. On the other hand when President of the United States attacks it can be cruel and damaging. Nearly all his tweets are attacks against political opponents, foreign leaders, and women. If the First Lady could influence her husband, perhaps she could start by directing her “Be Best” campaign at him.

The Worst Offense Is A Bad Defense

Donald Trump uses name-calling to shift the focus away from his responsibility, and place that responsibility squarely on someone else. When Trump isn’t bragging about his accomplishments to laughing UN leaders, he’s vigorously defending any perceived lack of competence by throwing insults and jabs at his detractors via Twitter. What’s strange is that it seems to work for him. His incessant mocking, degrading and name-calling does not offend his supporters.

Put Downs and Insults Ignite Supporters

If the media gives him a negative report, he cries “Fake News” or “enemy of the people.” There is no limit to his crass put-downs of his political rivals, or his demeaning nicknames. His endless repetition of phrases like “very sad” and “total loser” to describe those with whom he disagrees has no ill effect on his base support.  The New York Times has a website devoted to documenting all of Trump’s Twitter insults. The Washington Post has a running total of Trump lies and misrepresentations, since taking office. The lie counter has surpassed 5,000 events. These main stream media sources are apparently not where the Trump boosters receive their information, otherwise the daily fact checking by credible news sources should have negatively affected his popularity long ago.

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America Gripped By Bomb Threats

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America Gripped By Bomb Threats

By Trevor K. McNeil

Not All

Not everyone who voted for Donald Trump is evil or even stupid. Many are, but not all. It is truly sad, yet also understandable, the large number of people who had once voted for Obama that swung to Trump in 2016. What brought about this radical change? Was it just a terrible Democratic candidate? Or was it an honest, if misguided, wish for change? As far as I can tell the root of Trump’s popularity is that he is not an establishment politician. Something which appeals strongly to the latent, borderline anarchist, anti-government streak in this country dating back to Tomas Paine. It is in our national DNA as shown by the founding documents; which were willfully engineered to maximize individual rights and limit direct government control.

Media Coverage

Until recently Trump’s anti-statist position remained camouflaged. It is popular, and fun, to point out how Trump is the worst president in history; who has done things no one ever has, only to be countered by professional smart ass comedian Adam Conover and opinionated op-ed writers, observing that there is historical precedent for everything Trump has done and is doing. There is, however, one area in which Trump is a true and terrifying original. His relationship with the media is the worst of any President in American history. An ironic fact given the key role media coverage, both positive and negative, has played in his success.

The Historical Record

Looking to history, there have been political leaders in America who have had strained, if not a
borderline adversarial relationship with the press, but until Trump there has never been the fierce and unrelenting daily attacks on the media by a president of the United States. The difference between Trump and the leaders of the past is that the leaders of the past had the knowledge and political experience to hide their disgust of the press and play the political game. Richard Nixon an astute politician knew enough to talk football with the notorious journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who would later become one of his greatest opponents and detractors.

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Prepared For Disaster

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Disasters are a frequent thing. Over the last twelve  months the need to be ready for a disaster has become ever more obvious, as headlines of school shootings, fires, category 5 hurricanes and earthquakes send terrified, often unprepared citizens, running for their lives. No one is immune to disaster, but being prepared can be the difference between death and survival. Do you have a disaster preparedness plan?

Mental preparation. Reality check time. It is important to acknowledge that disasters happen and that you and everyone you love is also at potential risk. Once that knowledge is accepted, making preparations becomes the only reasonable action. Find out what happens in your community. Know where the emergency shelters are. If there are obvious hazards about your home remove them or make needed repairs. Check your smoke detectors and be sure to change batteries at least once a year.

Be ready for an emergency.  You never know when such events will occur. The recent hurricane evacuations highlight our need to be ready for such events, day or night. Over the last year we have seen the devastation and chaos caused by Michael, Florence, Irma and Maria.  It can happen anytime, anywhere.  In my little corner of the world, the North Oregon coast, we are often subject to evacuation orders because of tsunamis, earthquakes, fires, floods and even a rare tornado.

Prepare emergency supplies. No matter where you live there is always the possibility that you will be forced to move quickly out of harm’s way. Not all incidents of danger are natural in cause, often these tragedies are man-made disasters, such as terrorist attacks and toxic spills. At such time, power, water, phone and transportation services will most likely be out of service. If you own a car keep the tank at least half full.

Keep phone numbers. You will need to have numbers of friends and family close by and far away. You will need emergency phone numbers. Did you know that text messaging may be more reliable than telephone voice service.

Others may need help. Is there an elderly neighbor or an infirm family member that might need extra assistance? Be sure that you also have a local map. Planning for such an event is the first step to survival.

Rehearse your escape. Be aware of your buildings exits, as well as the emergency plan of your children’s school. Set up family meeting places-the school or the library-one inside your neighborhood and one outside your neighborhood. Walk the distance making sure that each family member is physically capable of making the trek.

Don’t Delay.In many cases when confronted with an emergency people don’t panic, in fact they will often be in denial and will intentionally delay evacuation. If authorities order evacuation, do not dally, leave immediately. Let friends know where you are, you don’t want anyone risking their life trying to find you.

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The Free Press vs Donald Trump

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Constitutionally Protected
Adrian Walker writing in The Boston Globe said, “I can barely believe it needs to be said, but the free press is not the “enemy of the people.” The press is constitutionally protected, and it is their function in a free society to protect the society from a corrupt and incompetent government. In the case of Donald Trump the need is especially great.

Adrian Walker Writes For The Boston Globe

Editorial Campaign
350 newspapers have joined The Boston Globe in the #FreePress editorial campaign convincing the  commander-in-chief of paranoid narcissism that the press is out to get him. It has become part of the Trump rally routine to slander journalists. He relishes eliciting jeers when he points to journalists covering his rallies. The attack is relentless.

In His Cross-Hairs
Free speech is the biggest enemy to Trump and that is why journalists are in his cross-hairs. Facts and their messengers are Trump’s real enemies and he will do everything within his power to discredit and silence criticism. The need to silence the opposition has no place in a free society, and is the tactic of totalitarian regimes.

Jack Shafer Writes For Politico.com

An Avalanche Of Editorials
Jack Shafer, writing for Politico.com believes the coordinated editorial response is sure to backfire. He opines that for one thing, Trump supporter’s don’t read newspapers. So, in Jack’s opinion “an avalanche of editorials singing from the same script is unlikely to move the opinion needle or deter Trump from attacking journalists and news organizations.”

Media Disapproval
Sadly, I agree with Jack. The public opinion of the media has been below 30% for over a decade. A “national press cabal” convened to oppose Trump may seem to the public as proof that he is being unfairly attacked. OMG, the last thing we want for Donald Trump is to improve his approval rating by convincing the electorate that Trump is the victim of the “deep state” in a coordinated effort with the liberal left.

Calamity Is All About Shining A Light On The Vile & Evil

My Plan
My plan as a progressive “voice” is to continue to attack Trump and his policies. I will not join in any form of coordinated national editorial campaign against Trump. I detest every cell in Trump’s polluted body, but I refuse to give him “fresh material” to use in his anti-journalist attacks. So, as in the past you can expect www.CalamityPolitics.com to make fresh attacks on Trump for everything from his failed orange flop-over to his vile sexism, corruption, tariff policies, environmental policy, climate change and bigotry.

Darlene

 

10 Steps To Protect A Surviving Spouse

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Death Comes Calling

On a Sunday morning bike ride my friend dropped dead on the roadside from a heart attack. “John” was a 73-year-old retired CPA. “John’s” mom had lived to be 96. “John” was trim and he took no medication and was in what seemed remarkably good health. I had heard him voice his expectation to “make it to a 100,” with true conviction.

Financial Chaos

Despite being a retired CPA, “John” had not taken the time to prepare a trust, or even a will. He thought he had lots of time. His sudden death threw his family into chaos. With “Johns”  recent death fresh in my mind, I took particular note of an October 2018 AARP Bulletin article entitled, “Left Alone-And At A Loss” by Leslie Milk. Leslie’s article detailed how as a widow, the loss of her husband was magnified by tough financial questions that they had failed to discuss and prepare for.

A Similar Experience

Leslie’s experience I venture is not that much different from the experience “John’s” widow is now going through. When a spouse or loved one dies we are often in a daze for months; or potentially longer while there will be a variety of items that require near immediate attention.The depression and anxiety following a loved one’s passing may make it hard to find the energy to hunt for bank and investment records, deeds, insurance policies, credit card statements, much less passwords and secret questions to access accounts.

You may have been married to your spouse for decades, but people don’t share everything. If a big purchase is considered I imagine discussion, but for many little things about finances there may be no discussion. Confronting the paperwork and the administrative bureaucracy precipitated by the death of a spouse is often an overwhelming and exhausting process, fraught with unexpected complications.

Password unknown

For instance, did you know if you are just a “user” on your spouse’s credit card account it will be closed upon his or her death? Also be ready for a spike in your insurance rates, as a “single” person you are considered a greater risk. Valuable collections, such as art, coins and guns may be difficult to sell, or have diminished market value because adequate documentation supporting ownership is not available. Email and other online accounts may be inaccessible to you if you do not know the usernames, secret passwords, or the secret questions.

To help reduce both the emotional and financial stress surrounding the death of a spouse AARP recommends we each take the following easy steps.

10 Steps To Protect Your Spouse

1. Gather Financial Papers: Gather items such as deeds, passports, insurance policies, estate documents and recent statements from financial accounts and store them in a fireproof box at home, where beneficiaries can easily find them.

2. Make a “must call” list: Compile contact information for your accountant, lawyer and other financial professionals who need to be contacted when a spouse dies. Also make a list of friends, maybe from childhood years that you want notified of your passing.

3. Share passwords: Keep an updated master list of all usernames and passwords so your spouse can still have account access after your death. Make it a habit to keep a record of any changes you make to passwords or usernames. I use “Keepass”.

4. Update beneficiaries: Make sure beneficiary designations for your pension, 401(k), IRA, brokerage accounts and life insurance proceeds reflect your current wishes.

5. Check credit cards: Make sure your spouse’s name is on the credit card account. In most states when your spouse dies, you won’t be responsible for any debt on a card that’s not in your name. However, you also won’t be able to use the card and will have to reapply for credit in your own name.

6. Set up Advance Medical Directives: Both partners need powers of attorney for health care to designate the person you want to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated. You will also need a living will that spells out what measures you want the doctor to take to prolong your life.

7. Designate a money person: Each of you will need a financial power of attorney so you can name a trusted person to make money decisions for you if you are unable to do so.

8. Review wills and trusts: Do this every few years or when there’s a significant change in your life, such as a sizable increase or decrease in your finances. If you don’t have a will, get one. Better yet, spend the extra $1,000 and have a trust drawn up. It will save thousands in probate costs.

9. Discuss funeral plans: This can save thousands of dollars by letting the surviving spouse-who may now have money challenges-know that it is okay to not spend lavishly on the funeral.

10. Know how the bills are paid: Keep a list of accounts with notes about how each is paid so the survivor doesn’t miss a payment or overdraw an account.

I though the AARP suggestions were simple and easy to manage. As I saw with “John’s” sudden death, we do not live forever. Make it easy on a surviving spouse or other family members and prepare for your death. You don’t need to add extra burdens on your surviving family members, so get organized and protect their interests.

This, Too, Shall Pass

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The Dark Jester

by T.K. McNeil

“Every empire turns to dust and every ego will be crushed”
– Martyn Jacuqes, The Crack of Doom

No one can see the future. Just ask stock traders, poker players, or the weather man. One method used to predict future events is trends. Unfortunately, trends come and go. Be it good or bad, there is a tendency to be trapped in the current scenario. Which is why when it came to imagining transportation of the future, Futurists of the 19th century described what was basically a horse and buggy with a mechanized horse.

The very concept of the internal combustion engine was so far beyond the context that they knew it was difficult to foresee a time beyond it. In the throws of the Second World War the National Socialist regime referred to their administration as “the thousand-year Reich.” While the Nazis were only in power for 12 years there was no reason not to believe the “thousand-year” rhetoric at the time.

Donald Trump is president but it will not be forever, even though it already feels like it has been.  The Nixon administration was truly abhorrent and seemed like it would never end but it did, because people took action. Remember George W. Bush? Me neither. Not unless I really try.

It is both funny and somewhat tragic to realize that we thought W. was as bad as it could get and Obama arrived just in the nick of time to save us all. It was warm and fuzzy while it lasted.  But, going from Obama to Trump was a shock that the country has not yet recovered from.  The ‘he’ll never win’ complacency that let him do just that hangs over every day of his presidency.

Cultural amnesia can be a terrible thing that can allow us to get used to anything, but we can’t allow it. This is not normal and it is not right. This is exactly why our systems has checks and balances like the two houses and the judiciary as well as two term limits on the presidency. To keep the unfit from ruling too freely for too long.

No matter what happens we need to remember that. The power is ultimately ours, as is our destiny. It might hurt but we need to remember everything Donald Trump has said and done. Hold it our hearts and minds and make sure he does not get away with it. It is a dark time now but this, too, shall pass. Hopefully sooner than later.

25 Things That Totally Irritate Me

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25 Things That Totally Irritate Me

D. S. Mitchell

Frequently, I write about the things in my life that make me smile, but today I thought it would be more fun to list a few of the things that irritate and annoy me. See if you don’t agree. Here goes.
1.) People who blame gluten for all the evils in the world.
2.) The friend who seems to have no life outside of Facebook.
3.) Receiving a birthday gift from Mom that I know I gave her last Christmas.
4.) Knowing that Tonya Harding is the biggest name celebrity I will ever meet.
5.) Knowing that I can’t flip my pillow top mattress, and I continue to fret about it.
6.) Racist hatred and rhetoric coming from the president of the United States.
7.) Standing in the grocery line flipping through a magazine as subscription cards fall like snow at my feet.
8.) That mass murder is the quickest path to fame.
9.) Hearing the splash of liquid on liquid and then the flush of the toilet on the other end of the phone line.
10.) Having dinner with a couple that are close to a divorce.
11.) Childhood bullies who go on to great financial success.
12.) That all good things come to an end, but really lousy things seem to last an overly long time.
13.) When my 25 year old granddaughter insists I should let her post my profile on Match.com.
14.) The embarrassment that comes from having dozens of cars slow down to watch me get a ticket.
15.) When the gas icon appears on my dashboard and I’m at least fifty miles from civilization.
16.) After spending all Saturday afternoon re-arranging furniture, only to decide I liked it better the way it was.
17.) The vice-like grip that the 1% hold on the world’s wealth.
18.) When I e-mail a friend with a couple of questions and the return e-mail fails to answer any of the questions, causing me to re-ask the same questions in a follow-up e-mail.
19.) Crying when I’m so enraged I am close to going on a homicidal rampage.
20.) When I’ve covered an error with White-Out and then can’t write over the bumpy-lumpy layer of cover up.
21.) Knowing the only way I can get my dog to come when she is called is by hollering, “Come on Lilly, get a treat. Treat, Lilly. Treat time.” She won’t do anything without a reward.
22.) People continuing to lie to me, even when they know that I know, they are lying to me.
23.) Stepping out of my car into an ankle-deep puddle.
24.) Knowing my ex-mother-in-law thinks I am interested in hearing about my ex-husband, and his stupid new wife.
25.) That a reality TV has-been is manipulating and corrupting the democracy of the United States.

Wow. That was cathartic.

Calamity Politics is a Progressive online news magazine that offers opinion and comment on the issues of the day. Join the Resistance. We are Indivisible.

Dar

Tools To Help You Quit Smoking Now

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Tools To Help You Quit Smoking Now

D. S. Mitchell

I used to smoke cigarettes. I quit fifty years ago. So, I guess this year is my Golden Anniversary of smoke free-living. I had tried to quit several times and had sadly returned to the nasty habit. In 1968 I participated in a grad study in college.  I suddenly realized quitting was actually easier than I had thought. I just needed a different set of tools. The grad study used journaling and self contracting to accomplish behavior change. Both techniques are addressed below.

I’m writing this post for one special person in my life. I pray every day that she will quit smoking cigarettes. She says she wants to quit, but she hasn’t been able to.

Addiction specialists recognize that cigarettes, “are the crack cocaine of nicotine,” because smoking a drug intensifies its effect.  Researcher Jack Henningfield described the process as, “brain altering.” So, if you, like my loved one, have not been able to quit, read on.

I wrote a journal entry each time I lit a cigarette. That entry included the time, the place, the circumstances and the emotion I felt with each cigarette I smoked. I did that for one week before quitting. During that time, I identified my triggers, my emotional involvement with nicotine, and the habituating ritual involved with each cigarette. In my case when reviewing my notes I realized there were only a couple of times a day I really wanted a cigarette. Wow, what a realization. Out of the fifteen cigarettes a day I was smoking I only really wanted about three of them. Eye opening. But everyone has a different relationship with nicotine so I pulled together some science and psychology and thought I would share with you some common sense ideas to help you become smoke free.

Saul Schiffman, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, recommends using cue cards to help patients kick the smoking habit. His cue cards resemble what follows. You can print these “cards” out and refer to them when you need to reinforce your choice to quit cigarettes, or rewrite them on real 3×6 cards. Be sure to personalize each action.

Card #1

Start by giving yourself Reasons to Quit:

1.) Save your life: By not smoking you are giving yourself an extra decade of life. If you are over 35 and smoke you are increasing your risk of dying from lung cancer by 12 times and emphysema by 10 times and doubling your odds of developing heart disease.

2.) Improve your health: Within 30 minutes of your last cigarette your blood pressure drops. Within 48 hours taste and smell improve. Within two weeks to two months walking becomes easier and lung function improves up to 30%. Within the first year there is a noticeable increase in energy levels.

3.) To save your looks: You will be stopping a habit that causes premature wrinkles especially around the mouth, stained teeth and yellow fingernails.

4.) To save your loved ones: If you have young children by not smoking you are no longer increasing their likelihood to developing asthma, ear infections, or bronchitis. Additionally, you are not providing a role model for smoking.

5.) To save money: You will have more disposable income. If you buy four cartons of cigarettes per month at $60.00 per carton that is $3,120 per year. OMG! You can now afford that vacation to Cancun.

6.) To save your freedom: You are no longer the slave of an addiction. Your time is once again your own.

If you notice your resolve weakening re-read your reasons to quit. To personalize the program add your own motivators to the list, because each person will have their own reasons why they want to stop smoking.

Card #2

Make a plan to kick the habit:

1.) Pick a date, make your quit date about a week away. Once you set your date do that journaling I mentioned, so you can identify when and why, you light up each of those coffin nails.

2.) Make an “I Quit contract”: The “contract” has been used for years by psychologists and psychiatrists to change behaviors. Write up a contract committing to at least 12 weeks to become a non-smoker. Keep it simple, but make it specific. Sign and date it.

3.) Get motivated: Focus on your reasons for quitting-refer to your reasons to quit list.

4.) Make a plan, plan for the challenges you will face and figure out how you will deal with the anticipated obstacles.

5.) Gather tools: Nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges are available over the counter. Or, you can visit your doctor and get a prescription. Studies show that use of such aids will double your chances of success.

6.) Get help: Ask the people around you for support. Join a quit program, call a hotline or go online for information.  Here are some valuable numbers to use when you need encouragement. 800-QUIT-NOW, smokefree.gov, and lungusa.org.

7.) Eliminate the visual reminders: On your chosen quit day, get rid of all cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays.

Card #3

Those First Smoke-Free Days:

1.) Give yourself some pats on the back: You have made it another day Smoke-free. That’s a big deal, celebrate it. Think of how you will reward yourself.

2.) Plan ahead: Use your powers of visualization. Imagine the next 24 hours as a non-smoker. Make a plan on how you specifically will avoid each challenge as it presents itself. You have already learned through journaling what your triggers are. Use that knowledge to fortify your defenses.

3.) Use your tools: If you got a prescription from your doctor for Zyban remember to take it, set the alarm on your hand-held. If you are using nicotine replacement make sure you have enough to get your through the day.

4.) Line up support: Identify who will help you get through those moments of weakness. Is there someone at your workplace that has quit? Attach yourself to that success story. If you do not have a cheering squad; make a call, or go on-line and touch base with professionals.

5.) Stay centered: Practice yoga, do some visualizations, listen to music–anything that puts you in a relaxed and focused state of mind.

6.) Wear a reminder: Create a bracelet from yarn or leather to remind you of your vow to quit.

7.) Be kind to yourself: Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and take a walk. If you were smoking 20 cigarettes a day you can multiply that 20 by the 10-15 minutes you engaged in the action and Voila! you have magically created 3.3 additional hours in your day to create, to communicate, to love.

Card #4

Emergency strategies for when you see yourself giving into cravings

1.) Delay: Studies have shown that if you can hold off for 15-20 minutes the urge will pass.

2.) Depart: Get out of the situation. Take a walk, go to the ladies room. Change your surroundings.

3.) Replacement: Twist a rubber band, play with a paper clip, chew gum, eat a piece of fruit. Go for a jog. Work out. Exercise will increase your chance of success and keep any potential weight gain to a minimum.

4.) Distract: Focus on a recent success you’ve had, or plan your vacation, or fantasize about those new shoes you have eyed. Find something pleasant to replace the cigarette.

5.) Refocus: Get out your list of reasons why you want to quit. Each of those reasons are important, and sometimes we just need a little reminder of what is really important.

6.) Medicate: If you are using nicotine lozenges or gum take a piece now. If you are a menthol brand smoker consider doubling up on cessation aids. Evidence strongly suggests that the minty menthol kick makes quitting more difficult. I was a menthol smoker and think this is especially good advice.

Remember that most cravings are worst during the first week of cessation. The intensity of the symptoms will drop significantly with time. At least half of smokers report withdrawal symptoms that include dizziness, headaches, nicotine cravings, anxiety, depression and weight gain.

These symptoms are usually mild. Take a Tylenol and move on. You will be so glad you did. I’m sure quitting smoking when I did has saved me over a $100,000 dollars.  Bad habits can be expensive in more ways than one. Break the hold of nicotine on your life.

GOOD LUCK!

Calamity Politics is a Progressive online news magazine offering comment and opinion on a variety of issues. Join the Resistance. We are Indivisible.

Dar