| Spotlighting Asbestos: The Death of a Compensation Campaigner
(NewsTarget) Bernie Banton, an Australian noted for his persistent effort in getting compensation for sufferers of asbestos related disease, died on the 27th of November of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung caused by exposure to asbestos, which is a fibre found in insulation and building materials amongst other products.
His efforts have ensured that asbestos, a highly toxic substance, remained in the public arena promoting awareness about its dangers. Bernie worked for James Hardie & Coy along with 3 brothers. One brother died in 2001 and another has a less serious asbestos related disease.
Asbestos is a silicate mineral found naturally in the environment. The mineral can be separated into very small fibres. As these fibres are strong, and resistant to heat, asbestos has been used in a range of products in various industries: industrial, scientific, home and commercial buildings.
Dying asbestos campaigner fights on from hospital bed
WITH medical advice that he has only days to live, the asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton can still get agitated about his former employer, James Hardie. "No, that's rot; the factory was putrid," he retorted from his bed in Concord Hospital yesterday. Mr Banton was answering questions from the barrister David Russell, SC, in his suit for compensation for the mesothelioma he contracted in August. Mr Russell had suggested the James Hardie factory at Camellia near Parramatta, where Mr Banton worked from 1968 to 1974 was "not as dusty and dirty" as Mr Banton recalled. A transcript of the bedside hearing released by the Dust Diseases Tribunal shows Mr Banton also told Judge John O'Meally that James Hardie "tried to abdicate their duties" in a corporate restructure in 2001.
'No Country,' 'Blood' tie
Day-Lewis, an Oscar winner for "My Left Foot," grabbed another best-actor nomination as a flamboyant oil baron in "There Will Be Blood," for which he could emerge as the favorite.
Along with Day-Lewis, Clooney and Jones, the other nominees were Johnny Depp, who won the Globe for musical or comedy actor as the vengeful barber in "Sweeney Todd," Viggo Mortensen as a Russian mob member in "Eastern Promises."
With a Golden Globe and universal acclaim for his performance as a relentless killer, Bardem looks like the closest thing to a front-runner this Oscar season. Bardem is up against Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"; Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild"; Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton."
Joining Blanchett and Ronan in the supporting actress category were Ruby Dee for "American Gangster," Amy Ryan for "Gone Baby Gone" and Tilda Swinton for "Michael Clayton."
Left out of the Oscars completely was the musical "Hairspray." The fairy-tale comedy "Enchanted" had three of the five best song nominations.
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