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OBITUARY: Former senator Pell dead at age 90 (Roundup)

Jan 1, 2009, 23:12 GMT

Washington - Former senator Claiborne Pell, best known for his advocacy for a 1970s programme that has helped 54 million low and moderate-income students attend college, died Thursday, media reports said.

Pell served in the Senate representing Rhode Island from 1960 to 1996, shortly after he disclosed he suffered from Parkinson's disease. But as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee from 1987 to 1994, he was regarded as a weak leader, the New York Times and Washington Post wrote.

Pell was the descendant of a wealthy New England family that dated back to colonial times. Five of his ancestors including his father served in Congress.

He always regarded his greatest achievement as the Pell Grants, as the college aid grants came to be known.

'He believed strongly that a good education could open infinite doors of opportunity, and he has transformed the lives of millions of young people who have been able to go to college because of the grant that rightly bears his name,' Senator Edward Kennedy was quoted as saying by the Times.

Vice-president-elect Joe Biden, who served with Pell in the Senate, praised the late senator for his efforts 'to reduce the size of the world's nuclear arsenal and stop the spread of nuclear weapons.'

Pell served in the State Department as a foreign service officer in Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Washington, DC from 1945 to 1952. He also participated in drafting the United Nations charter at the 1945 San Francisco conference.

Pell raised eyebrows at times, earning the nickname 'Senator Oddball' from Time magazine for inviting the Israeli-British psychic Uri Geller to demonstrate his ability to bend a spoon using mind control. He also once attended a symposium on UFO abductions, the Washington Post reported.



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never heard of himJan 1st, 2009 - 23:54:10

so this 'story' gets a big SO WHAT.

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SP4: this is becauseJan 2nd, 2009 - 01:26:20

...you do not bother to inform yourself. This is a guy who really accomplished something. It just floors me how the more IT we get, the more ignorant each generation becomes.

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@SP4: this is becauseJan 2nd, 2009 - 01:53:12

Oh, bullsh*t drug addict, I am well informed, more so than you, you republican spam can. I really can't believe that you are upping this guy. He was a Democrat, but he's dead. Like you, his best days are behind him. He can do nothing more, therefore the big SO WHAT. I do agree with you about the ignorance thing. I merely read about it, you fully experience it, in all its' forms and subtleties, moron. I suppose, so that you can understand it, I should have said: haven't heard from him recently. There, happy now, diaper boy?

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Who cares......................Jan 2nd, 2009 - 06:46:32

Nobody gives a crap about this dead moron.

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SP4: Bonzo posts onlineJan 2nd, 2009 - 14:46:10

'the more IT you give them, the more ignorant this generation becomes' - ...boy! did I ever get that right...

...one other thing...Did you guys ever wonder why your daddies bought a pet chimp and named him after you???

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@ never heard of himJan 2nd, 2009 - 16:05:37

You shouldn't ever tell people you're ignorant. Granted, they will find out soon enough, but there is no use in helping them. The man is right, more IT equals less in the way of informing the public.

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helenJan 2nd, 2009 - 16:58:50

does anyone know what this sp4 person is talking about?
chimps named after someone? daddies a chimp ? what is wrong with this sp4 i wonder .sounds like he or she needs help.

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SP4: work on itJan 2nd, 2009 - 17:26:29

...Helen.

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@@ never heard of himJan 2nd, 2009 - 18:56:31

'You shouldn't ever tell people you're ignorant.'
You should take your own advice, a-hole.

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danJan 2nd, 2009 - 19:43:09

Helen... sp4 is just a guy who sits at the computer all day talking tough and giving himself a knob job. other than that he is useless as tits on a snowmobile.

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SP4: well danJan 3rd, 2009 - 16:35:52

..if you would actually read something, you could then actually post something meaningful, instead of this useless drivel we currently get from you. Admittedly, it'd be a stretch for you,given that this is probably the best you can do but I have a weakness:

I believe in people.

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@ SP4: well danJan 3rd, 2009 - 17:54:52

'I believe in people.'

Ha! The only people you believe in have taken this country and destroyed it on all fronts. We have not credibility with anyone, no one in this country has credibility with each other, it will take years of work to bring us even half way back. It will take the people of this country refusing to listen to the bigotry and hatred from the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and stupid hillbillies like you.

The only person you believe is is yourself you selfish stupid bore.

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i beleiveJan 3rd, 2009 - 18:02:25

this person who died was just another piece of shit like bush is.
oh pardon me and like sp4 also..tee hee

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