Isn't 43 awfully young to be having a heart attack, even for people who aren't conditioned professional athletes?

The thing is, being so conditioned and being in such a rough sport also takes a toll on the heart. Also, he could have just been prone to them, if that is what he actually died from.

Also? Sleep Apnea isn't exactly good for the system.

Sounds like a combination of factors, despite my Cousin Steve immediately determining it to be "Drugs!"

Still on hold. I think I am near the 2 hour mark.

Especially the larger guys from the NFL--once they stop being so active, the muscle tends to turn to fat and they are prone to the problems that go with that (apnea and heart disease, etc.) 43 is WAY, WAY too young.

I totally appreciate when my non-Jewish friends send me cards or call to wish me happy hannukah, and I really don't expect them to keep track of the lunar year and always hit me in time

I keep track because my neighbor lady is Jewish (actually a LOT of my neighbors are). She makes an effort to wish me happy holidays so I try to be neighborly in that small way. Although this year she went to Israel for Chanukah.

Chris is walking around in his new slippers, singing, "Stomp stomp stomp! Doing the Yeti stomp."

Is the Yeti Stomp a Backyardigans thing?

Finally, I got a flight.

When I worked in retail, you pretty much had to tell everyone "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" or something as part of the good bye patter. I usually put it in where the "Have a great day!" goes. I figure that almost everyone that is in a major department store on christmas eve buying presents at least nominally celebrated christmas.

Is the Yeti Stomp a Backyardigans thing?

Yep. When I say (thanks to Kara), "My name is TYRONE," he covers his ears, closes his eyes, and says, "Don't say that. Don't say THAT. Just be all Mommy. You're Mommy. I got to have a Mommy."

My Reggie White news is from yesterday, there may be more info out there today.

I think my 'Merry Christmas" saying is probably a holdover from working retail. I never did it too early, though, unless I was helping someone who mentioned that they were shopping for Xmas. On Christmas Eve, everybody gets wished a Merry Christmas whether they want it or not. Too hectic to differentiate.

Heh - 20 people called in today. The downpouring rain and the post-xmas vibe was enough to have people say "fuck it" en masse. Consequently, those of us who showed up will be getting free pizza today.

PHOTOS Show George W. Bush Seriously Ill Physically

Very interesting. Lots of evidence, but I can't say if it's conclusive.

George W. Bush apparently is wearing a medical device for "persons at risk of cardiac arrest." It is a LifeVest wearable defibrillator. He started using it sometime after his January 2002 fainting spell, which was attributed to choking. Based on photos showing him wearing the device, one can conclude the fainting was due to atrial fibrillation (AF), which his father also had. His father's AF was caused by Graves' hyperthyroidism, which his mother also has. Bush likely has AF and less likely Graves', based on his family history and symptoms. The AF may have caused a stroke or TIA (mini-stroke), of which physicians watching the debates detected symptoms. Observers have noted psychological symptoms consistent with this and with Wernicke-Korsakoff disease.