9-11-2014

Just a reminder...

 

  

 

 

 

 

   

 Graphic reminders below the fold:

Public Service Announcement

 

Gagdad Bob Tweeted this article, which tells us why drinking is a Good Thing.

 

Look Into The Void, III

Brain Cancer Killed This Blog

I was tidying up a bit, cleaning out the MIA list, when I noticed that Kate had updated her old blog.  The title struck me as odd.  Then I read the post.

Fuck.

Consider this a "bleg".  Kate is truly good people, and needs help.  I Cannot. Imagine.

 And, RTWT:

 August 1st, 2014

Brain Cancer Killed This Blog

by Venomous Kate

When I started ElectricVenom.com back in 2003, my son was a toddler and my husband was an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army who was gone a lot. A lot. Then we relocated to a rural area in Hawaii — which isn’t nearly as pleasant as you’d think — and he was gone even more. There were times when two, sometimes three weeks would pass and I hadn’t spoken with anyone over the age of three.

I’ve often said this blog saved my life back then, because it put me in contact with people all over the world and gave me a reason to think. Now, I’m hoping this blog can help save my husband’s life, or at least make what’s left of it a little bit better.
You see, about a month after my last post — on July 12, 2012 to be specific — we learned that my husband has brain cancer. At the time, his tumor was considered slow-growing and following surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and he was expected to have a very good shot at living a normal lifespan.

Earlier this week, we learned that his tumors (he has two now) have progressed to glioblastoma, which has a median survival rate 14 or so months. Since he’d had an MRI in May which showed the tumors being in check, the growth between then and his July MRI indicates the clock started ticking in the past month or two.

Frankly, we’re terrified. We’re also in need of your help. Although Mike has been working throughout his various treatments, he is no longer able to do so. His cognitive and speech skills are rapidly declining, and he is physically exhausted from nearly 18 straight months of daily chemotherapy.

Although his boss did everything he could to keep Mike on, his condition is such that he just can’t keep working. As I type this, Mike’s resignation letter is sitting on in his office, awaiting his signature.

But Mike is worried about retiring. It’s not just that he’s a workaholic, though he is (and that fact is responsible for about 70% of this blog’s content, come to think of it). He’s also afraid of what’s going to happen to our family financially once he’s no longer bringing home a paycheck.
See, Social Security Disability will take a few months to kick in, as will his Federal medical retirement pay. Until then, we’re broke. Flat. Broke. (Having a daughter who only just graduated college and a now-teenaged son who’s in braces and band will do that to a family.)
So we’re raising funds to help Mike complete his Bucket List in the time he has remaining, and to hopefully cover some of the gap between his last day of work and his first day of disability payments.

If you can, please contribute. It doesn’t have to be big — even $3 would be great! And, if you can’t contribute, then please know as we do that prayer is the most valuable form of currency there is. We could sure use some.

•To read more of Mike’s story, or to contribute to his fundraiser, please visit his GoFundMe.com campaign here.
•To follow Mike’s progress, please “Like” his Facebook page: Mike Berry’s Brain Cancer Battle.

Thank you,
Not so “Venomous” anymore Kate

Wanted...

Found at Gerard's

Television

One contestant I met last  year was horrified when I told her that I don't have a TV.  (Full disclosure - I own two boxes, but they haven't been connected or turned on in three years.)  Mostly, I'm fed up with the constant barrage of advertising - especially the same six ads, over and over and over...

And, as Wiley observes, the content doesn't help much, either:

I *do* watch TV shows, but thru the services of Netflx.  I'm working on Longmire and Ripper Street at the moment.  Two shows that I highly recommend.

Paper media may be fading, but reading is still your best entertainment value!

Letter To Mary

I haven't been in touch with too many of my friends lately, and I received a polite enquiry from my cousin.  I responded:

Sorry I've been incommunicado for so long.  I apparently don't do "broke" very well, and I guess I've been suffering from a bit of the blues.  That said, things are looking quite bright!

First off, Jen was a bit stiff & sore as expected, but she found a good chiropractor, and didn't suffer the aftereffects for very long.  The car was ultimately totaled, so there's that.  I'll forward the e-mail she sent me with a couple of pictures she took at the scene.  Carole flew up & spent a week with her.  They got her moved into a new room rental - the one she had was unworkable.  The owner is pretty dysfunctional, and it seems really didn't want a roomer after all.  She's still looking for work, which is tough.  She had a rough three or four years.

In the last month or so, I've had four job calls, three of which resulted in interviews and jobs!  I actually worked for the Post Office for a week, but decided that I much prefer teaching to delivering mail.  I just started teaching last week, at two different schools that are owned by the same holding company, Delta Education.  I'm teaching Web Scripting at Berks Technical Institute (BTI) in Wyomissing, just outside of Reading, and Intro to Computers and Office Documentation (typing - heh) at McCann School in Carlisle.

It's got my head in blender... I have, at last count, eight different accounts for the schools - a couple are common, but a couple are unique to each campus.  In addition, I have two or three (?) accounts with the textbook vendors as well.  I still can't log in to do attendance, which is a hoot!  I also don't have access yet to the account I need for my typing class, that I need to use to track progress.  And one student can log in until *I* log in first.  No pressure.

The good news is, I'm off tomorrow as well as today, because McCann is having some kind of in-service, but I gather it's only for the admin types.  An extra day to track these loose accounts down and nail them to the wall!

Met a couple of local folks thru Twitter, and attended a July 5th party.  It was up in the hills, and I was told to bring my .45, so I did.  If you've looked at the blog since then, you'll pictures of some of the damage we did.  I can see why guns and alcohol don't mix.  When we were done shooting, I wound up putting a pretty good dent in a bottle of something interestingly nasty from North Korea.  I noticed that my right shoulder was sore, down into my right pectoral muscles.  It took me a couple of days to connect the dots that it was most likely from the recoil from the .45 carbine.  (Which shoots quite nicely, by the way.)  I was either just buzzed enough to not feel the full effect of the recoil, or it was somehow not really noticeable but still strong to cause some soreness.

So, I really like McCann, but Berks not quite so much.  McCann is smaller, and I know my director and the school boss pretty well already.  BTI is much bigger, I've met my Dean and the  guy who runs the program, but it isn't as friendly, the the program guys seems to be well known as a micro-manager, and I get the sense he's considered a "dick". (Sorry)  I was chatting w/ the boss at McCann yesterday, and she seems quite OK with giving me a full load of four classes next term, which would preclude me working at Berks.  The commute to Berks is only 10 miles more, but I'm finding it to be psychically much longer.  So there's that.

Suzu is noodging me for a walk, so I'm gonna go do that.

Glad to hear that everyone is OK.  Buying any cannabis goodies?  ;-p

Yes, The P.R.B. - People's Republic of Boulder.  From what I hear, it's getting an awful lot like California (which I do not miss!)

Give my love to all when you see them!

On 7/11/2014 1:05 PM, Mary wrote:

Lee, I just caught up on your blog…….how is Jenny doing?  I hadn’t heard about the accident.  Sounds like she is OK, but I’m sure those first few days she was pretty sore.  How about your job prospects?  Did anything materialize for you?  Hope so.  Has Jenny found work yet?  Hope she has found something that is a good fit.

We are fine.  Summer is slipping by quickly.  Just picked the first ripe tomato today.  You can see that we deal with all kinds of major issues every day. J

Everyone in  Hardin is fine, also in NM.  Susan, Ardell’s oldest, just had her fourth baby, a boy named Benjamin Ardell (“Huck” for Huckleberry) McDowall.  Everyone is very happy with the new addition.  He is quite the porker (as most babies are), but if his siblings are any indication, that will remedy itself in due time.   The guys are still farming (Darell will be 76 in the fall), but have cut their beet acreage down to 125 from 300.  Gerry’s contemplating retirement within the next six months, maybe sooner.  Then he’ll have lots of house projects to keep him busy for a while.

Well, that’s the news in the Republic of Boulder.  Hope you are doing well……drop a note when you have a moment……XO, Mary

Star Trek vs Star Wars - The Final Frontier

I believe this says it all:

Questions??

Demon's Nest Of Sentiments

Especially appropriate these days...

Via Pibgorn

How I spent My Weekend

I was invited to @PeeteySDee 's place for BBQ on the 5th, provided I bring the .45 for some shooting.  I brought the 1911, and the Hi Point .45 carbine, just for completeness on the .45 part of the deal.

We had my two .45s, an AR-15, and a nice little laser-sighted .380.  Damage ensued:

Before:

After:

Petey said he'd gotten them from a gal named "Lois", who used to work at the I.R.S. He said she was glad to get rid of them.

@DoreenHDickson showed up later. Embarrassingly and sadly, I had comsumed was too many "Chocolate Cake" shooters, and some interestingly nasty North Korean Ginseng liquor to be good company.

Which is why I don't keep the hard stuff at home.  Important safety tip.

Lunch Conversations

This is fairly typical of the conversation we used to have at our Friday lunches:

Lady and Gentlemen….

You would have to do an MRI scan to know what part of the brain is at a high functioning level to draw a conclusion in this experiment. Several extremes are in play here. Beauty is in the eye or should I say the ear of the beholder. This is a place where a man who falls from the platform. No one stops to help. What value did the observer place on the man? Actually Rob and I have some great discussions. I love the opportunity. Retired or not. 

Great to hear from you Lee.  Let us know when you are going to visit Ca. and we can all get together and catch up.

Sincerely

Carole, The wife of the Great and Powerful Oz!  Oh I mean Rob…..

From: leelu [mailto:lawebber@cwassociates.net]
(redactions)
Subject: RE: Joshua Bell Plays in Subway

First:  Carole, has Rob gotten more like this since he retired?  Does he need to get out more??

 

Late to the thread, I know.  The value discussion has some, well, value, but I don't know if that is "it".  I'm inclined to think that it more about basic human psychology, and the states of mind of the people passing thru.    How aware are they of what is actually going on around them?  Are the focused on where they've been, or where they're going, or what just happened??  We're fairy accustomed to muzak, so there might be a tendency to take Bell's playing and treat it as such.

 

I remember Nordstrom's at SCP would, from time to time, have a pianist at a full grand piano, playing lovely music.  I was one of the few, if not the only passer-by to stop.

 

I guess one other way to find out would be to get Mr. Bell to play again, and ask the passers-by why they did or didn't stop. In the case of Nordstrom's, my answer would be, "I liked the music, and had the time."  Heck, I've even stopped for a player piano...

 

On May 14, 2013 at 2:45 PM rob wrote:

I'm still stuck on this discussion a few days ago about the value of performance art. It caused me to perform a little, as Einstein used to call it, “thought experiment” to help put the issue in the abstract.

Suppose you are transported to the planet Oozor where evolution has taken a very different path. Fortunately for you there is a breathable atmosphere with a slight smell of Magnolia blossoms brought on by the thin jasmine-colored film of algae covering the vast bog laying before you.

As you investigate closer, you can see hundreds of tiny colorful slug-like creatures along the shore. Whether they are near-sighted or simply don’t care about your approach is unclear. As you kneel down and watch, you observe a few of them blowing colorful bubbles of various shades of blue and green, and on rare occasion, of purple or red.

For a few of the pseudopodia blowing bubbles, the other creatures surround them with bits of sand and moss and appear to watch transfixed as the bubbles float away. As the bubbles rise to a height of eight or nine inches the observers begin to squeak in what you can only interpret as approval. The herd pushes more and more pieces of moss toward the central creature encouraging a frenzy of bubbles to be formed until finally the creature can blow no more and collapses from exhaustion on the mound of moss. The herd disperses.

Other pseudopodia blow bubbles also, but curiously these mostly going unwatched and unappreciated by their kinsmen. These solitary creatures blow their equally delightful bubble without the remuneration of any gifts at all.

You begin to wonder why. Fascinated by the admiration surrounding some bubble blowers and ignominious nature surrounding others, you slowly begin to realize that the purple bubbles seem to attract great attention and the green ones do not. The color seems to be the only difference that you can perceive for the apparent diversity of attitude.

Being of a curious and thoughtful nature, you speculate why the purple bubbles have more apparent value than the green ones. Is it because purple bubbles contain some needed nutrient more than the green ones? The bubble flow away and are never consumed so that is not likely the reason.

Still the purple bubbles are clearly more appreciated than the green ones. Is it because the purple ones are so much rarer than the green ones? Yes, that is it! The rarity is the answer and you are quite satisfied with your discovery, that is until you see a single pseudopodia blowing red bubbles only inches from many other creatures without being noticed for its efforts. Obviously rarity, though a possible factor, is not the only pertinent factor.

Then is comes to you. This is art. Given no practical reason other than the bubbles are just appreciated, they are art. If you can blow purple bubbles, you get attention. If you blow green ones, you don’t. Personally I prefer the red bubbles and I can save myself a few bits of moss.

Now don’t ask me why people like bagpipe music. That’s just a completely different planet.

 

---

From: ed
To: rob

Subject: Re: Joshua Bell Plays in Subway

Rob, this is why I miss our lunches with you -- you always bring up interesting points...

Value *is* a subjective quality (as I'm sure Carole will attest to with real estate prices) and varies with the audience and the demographic that pays for $100 tickets is certainly not the same as the ones rushing for the Metro.  However, it seems to me that a musician who has a world-wide reputation must have sufficient credible skills to impress a larger percentage of the estimated thousands that passed by him without a second look.

On the other end, which I think is relevant to your point, a given individual may detest Bell's playing and think another "ignominious" musician's performance heavenly, so for him the assessment of value would be different.

I guess the proper scientific method would call for the same set of people who paid for $100 tickets to be followed around and see if they would pay attention to another violinist of Bell's stature in an unconventional setting.

On 5/7/2013 9:13 AM, rob wrote:

Well, true or not, it raises a plethora of  points. The "stop and smell the roses" point notwithstanding, it is normal that humans filter their environment.  It is dysfunctional to focus on everything.
 
I'm uncomfortable with the superficial concept of value. An ignominious musician's music can be more valuable than a famous musician's. A child's finger painting can be more valuable than a Picasso.
 

> Date: Mon, 6 May 2013 22:14:24 -0700
> From: ed
> To: gay, rob, lawebber
> Subject: Joshua Bell Plays in Subway
>
> Got a link to this, wasn't quite sure if this was legit, but snopes
> checked it out:
>
> http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bell.asp

 

"When is leelu not in trouble?"
Korben Dallas

4th of July, 2014

Now, more than ever!

'Merica!! - 30 million illegal immigrants can't be wrong!! (Updated Richard Jennie, RIP)

Not Good Morning Mail

This was in my in box today:

 Hi Lee, Jennie was in a car accident in Billings this evening.  She was taken to the hospital and the Cat Scan was ok.  She is really shaken up and will be sore for a while.  She thinks her car is totaled.  John and Becky went to the crash site - I think there were multiple cars and the accident was on the news.

She is staying at John and Becky's tonight-they are leaving on a trip tomorrow.  I will either fly up tomorrow or she if she can fly here to recuperate.  She was supposed to move to a new home tomorrow.

Jen will call you tomorrow-she didn't want to call you in the middle of the night.  I will keep you updated.

Love,  C

I talked with her a couple of hours ago. She is still shaken, but otherwise OK. She's probably going to be stiff & sore for a while. Her car may or may not be totaled, depending on the cost of the repairs. If John was correct, and he found a piece  of the crankshaft, that is a given.

Three cars - her, the one that hit her, and the one it bounced off of.

Apparently everyone walked away.

I wish I could get out there...

The Last Two Weeks in Job Hunt Land

I have been looking for adjunct or full time teaching gigs ever since I didn't get called back two years ago. Last year was pretty much a loss, because on the five months of down time due to my back and the surgery. During that two years, I'd also applied at the local post office to be an RCA - "Rural Carries Associate".  Applied, tested, interviewed, then nada. I found out that the openings were cancelled.

I re-applied for the RCS position when I saw a new posting. Got interviewed, and have actually received an offer. During the paperwork phase of the offer, and just for completeness, I checked the "Yes" box in answer to the question "Do you have any back issues?" I don't think I really do these days, but the idea of them finding out about my back *after* an on the job injury just seemed fraught.

So, I have an appointment to see my doctor Tuesday, to have him sign off on me or note any restrictions.

Whilst all of that was happening, I've had two interviews at locals schools to which I applied for adjunct positions. I believe that offers will happen. That belief is based on the transcript and background check requests from both schools - the official crossing of Ts and dotting of Is they need to do before they can make an offer.  Which are not requested if an offer is not on their agenda.

The more I think about it, the more I prefer teaching. Actually, I'll be driving just about as much. but  the pay is better, and the schools are quite nice. Much better than ITT. I am also assured that a 'large' class is 10 students.

Still being grateful, and prayerful, in my own odd way.

Maybe I'll have a roof and heating oil this winter!!

Short Suits

I thought that was something in bridge?

Oh, well...

Why We Need...

...the Second Amendment:

That is all. (h/t https://twitter.com/RobbDerkatz)

Bergdhal

H/t  @KatiePavlich

Demon's Nest

Pibgorn

Oldie But A Goodie...

Via Gerard

Martha (Bumped for Mother's Day)

I just noticed today's date, and remembered that it would have been my mom's birthday.  Not only that, today would have been her 100th birthday. (Originally posted 8/12/2012)

Anyone who knew her would say that she was an amazing woman.  I was blessed to have her as my mom.

She was born near Moline, Illinois.  She was, I believe, the middle child of five.  Two older brothers, and a younger sister and brother.  She graduated high school, then moved to Chicago to study nursing.  She finished school there, looking forward to being a surgical scrub nurse.  Something changed her mind, and she chose obstetrics instead.  Like my mother, she migrated to Los Angeles, spent a year at Childrens' Hospital in Hollywood to get her California license.  She went to work at St. Vincent's, staying there until the closed the O.B. department at the end of the baby boom in 1966.  She took a job at St. Anne's Maternity hospital, after working for a month in I.C.U.  She didn't like losing patients.  She told me that they had only lost four during her time a St. Vincent's.

She met my mother at a professional women's club.  After Gladys and dad got married, and Gladys became pregnant with the twins, she introduced them to a doctor, and off we went.  It did not turn out well.  Gladys developed pre-eclampsia, and was, by the time Lane and I were born, unable to clot blood.  She and my brother both died as a result of complications.

Martha was in the delivery room when we were born.  After I was able to go home ( after a month in an oxygen tent), she started to help dad and his housekeeper take care of me.  One thing lead to another, and they decided to get married.  They decided to marry in Montana, at the same ceremony where my grandparents were renewing their vows to celebrate their 50th anniversary.  It did not turn out well.  A couple of days after the wedding, we headed out for Moline, to see her parents.  Somewhere in Nebraska, a tire blew out, the car rolled, and dad was killed.

After she and I returned to L.A., she resumed her job as St. Vincent's.  Her parents moved out to stay with us, to help care for me.  She went through the process of adopting me, which included getting my aunt to sign off, since she was still my guardian according to dad's will.

And then she raised me.  We were by no means well off, but we had a warm, happy, safe place to live.  We went on day trips and weekend trips and three "great loop" trips through the U.S. She made sure I did well in school.  There was never a doubt that I was going to college.  She nursed me thru the measles, mumps and chicken pox, took me to swim practice (I remember her sitting in the gallery, reading), and was there for me whenever I needed.

She helped deliver her granddaughter, whom she loved dearly.

She developed polymyositis, a muscle wasting disease.  Treatment with steroids left her a diabetic, and treatment with morphine for pain from diverticulitis left her in and out of clarity and consciousness in her last three weeks.  The last time I saw "her" was on a Tuesday evening.  It seemed that she needed to know it was OK to go, and so I told her.  By Wednesday evening, she was unresponsive to the environment, and she slipped away late Friday evening.

A few weeks later, I had a dream with her.  She told me that everything would be OK.  My experience of that dream was unlike my experience of every other dream I've ever had.  My personal belief is that I had an actual conversation with her.  could I prove it?  Of course not.  But that's what I think it was.

Mom and me, 1952

So.  Happy Birthday, mom!

(More photos at the Tumblr page, up top.)

Benghazi

Q: Where, exactly. was the "Commander in Chief"?

A: I'm betting under his bed, pissing himself.

Apres le Deluge...

...c'est automation.

Self-check lanes sprouted like mushrooms after the Southern California Retail Jerks' Clerks' strike about 10 years ago.

Happy Star Wars Day

May The Fourth Be With You!

Grace

Retweeted by @TheH2
Renzo Soprano ‏@Renzo_Soprano
This deserves endless retweets.

Benghazi It's starting to heat up, boys and girls!

Res Ipsa Loquitur

IIRC, he had a fundraiser in Vegas to get ready for.

Retweeted by leelu

Sharyl Attkisson @SharylAttkisson  ·

Correct story link to docs showing terrorism right away: http://www.sharylattkisson.com/state-dept.-al-sharia-email--may-1--2014.html …

Go, RTWT.

 Damn Obama's ass. And Hillary, too.

Just A Look Around...

I'm thinking Obama's sanctions are smoke and mirrors.  They are targeting individual Russians, Putin's buddies, but they aren't stopping the flow of dollars into Mother Russia:

US Buying Russian Helicopters for Afghanistan

Sanctioned Russian Has No-Bid Contract With US

I understand why we don't want to turn Europe's heat off, but there must be a way to get around that.  Gas exports, anyone??

I don't believe Obama et. al. are taking this mess anywhere near seriously enough.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong??

Via @PoliticalLaughs @JoanOfArgghh

New Dem Fundraising Tactic in MD

Phone scammers say they are from Md. sheriff's department, request money

 Interesting.  Note the "...funds... on a pre-paid card..." part.  That means you can't get your money back as you could if it were on a credit card.

Just. Don't.

Via Drudge.

Happy Birthday...

...James Tiberius Kirk!

 

  Live long and prosper!

Falling Angel

Let's Make The Dems'...

...heads explode!

 

Thx, @yesnicksearcy

Polite Look...

...at Vlad and Barry's relationship

Carrying Putin's balls.

Heh.  Thanks Janie Johnson!

Debate Rules For Liberals

You got that right!

Thanks to @BarracudaMama!

New Time Waster...

...Twitter.

I opened an account so I could Tweet when I put up a post.  Sadly, it got out of control in the last month, and I've spent a significant part of my time over there.

Which has to stop.  I stumbled into a potential money-making gig about a week and a half ago, and we met today to start getting our brains around it.  I walked away with a pretty good list of things I need to do.  In addition, I need to get some things sorted out at the office here at home in order to support what I'll be doing there.

Yes, I'm being deliberately vague about what it is.  I think we need to get the proverbial ducks lined up before I make a big to-do about it here.

But I'm optimistic about it.

And I'm saying the (Alan) Shepard's prayer, too.  A lot!

More as it develops.

This Will Leave A Mark! Updated

The Weekly Standard's Elliott Abrams filets  Obama's (lack of) coherent foreign policy!

I see  a consensus building:

Deseret News

Washington Post

(And, just for fun, Freedom Outpost - totally unrelated!)

Sane Discussion About Abortion

I found out about Cecile Richards and her "hand wave" about when life begins in this article at NRO yesterday.  She says:

“It is not something that I feel is really part of this conversation,” Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood told Fusion’s Jorge Ramos on Thursday. “I don’t know if it’s really relevant to the conversation.”

I started reading the coments, and found this one, by Bob Wynne:

 

Bob Wynne • a day ago

If any of you full grown adults that are definitely alive needed to be hooked up to my blood supply for months, would the choice to carry that burden be up to me or not? It is not a question of whether you are alive. I accept that you are. Yet there is still a question.

 It piqued my interest, and I responded to him.  I was expecting the "forced gestation" argument to surface pretty quickly, but it didn't.  Instead, I found myself in a conversation with someone who has genuine concerns about the rights of the mother vs the rights of her unborn child.

See what you think.  My initial response:

 leelu Bob Wynne • a day ago

Wonderfully bogus argument, and totally off the point, too.

Bob Wynne leelu • a day ago

No argument from me, Boss. Just asking a question. You might wonder, "Why would Bob ask that?" In order to get an answer. So far I have been unsuccessful.

leelu Bob Wynne • a day ago

 Ah... To answer your question, I would say yes, you definitely should/would have a say in it. OK?

Bob Wynne leelu • 21 hours ago

Now, I am asking what the point is that I am off of?

leelu Bob Wynne • 21 hours ago

What I perceive as the point of the article - the assertion that the issue of when life begins is irrelevant to abortion. I just don't see a connection there?

Bob Wynne leelu • 8 hours ago

The point is that I think that if we, as civilized people, can agree that society cannot force an individual to share their blood, oxygen and nutrients with another living person, then it is not relevant when a cell mass becomes a person for purposes of abortion rights. If we can agree that society can force a person to share their blood, oxygen and nutrients with another person, then personhood might be relevant in the discussion.

leelu Bob Wynne • 3 hours ago

The short answer is, if "it is not relevant when a cell mass becomes a person", then ,by a simple logical extension, there no reason why I should be penalized in any way for shooting you. (This is *not* a threat, btw.)

Your whole "sharing" example is irrelevant as well. In your case, you are talking about somthing that, absent force, would be, by definition, a contractual arrangement. I expect that you would not let me "hook up" for nothing. That is not the case between a mother and child - no contract exists. It is a moral issue, based exactly on the point of the start of personhood. Hand-waving it doesn't make it go away.

Bob Wynne leelu • 3 hours ago

You may be right on your primary position here. We all agree that you cannot do anything to another person. I am suggesting that if the fetus is a person, that there is more to discuss along those lines.

Some would argue that refusing to share your resources is not doing something to them. It is not allowing them to do something to you. You are removing them from your personal space. You are redirecting your blood flow for your personal use. They are free to go on their way. But they feed on you only by your grace and agreement.

That is what I would say if some born person needed some component in by blood for some period of time. I do not believe in killing another, but I do not belive in forcing anyone to support someone else, either.

As far as the comparison to the abortion debate, I have no answers. I cannot support forcing anyone to make that sacrifice. Even if the fetus is deemed a person, why would I give him or her more rights than me or you? I am glad that the decision does not rest on me. I feel that it should be left up to those that will have to live with it.

leelu Bob Wynne • 2 hours ago

If you donate blood or are an organ donor, then the resource sharing issue is moot. You may, if you want, or not. Same with me, as a first responder - I am under *no* legal obligation to administer CPR, just as you are under no legal obligation to give blood. 

"Feeding" suggests a parasite-host relationship, which again, is moot, since we are agreed that you have voluntarily donated blood or organs (I'm thinking "live donor" here, as in kidney or liver parts).

I don't think it's ultimately about rights, altho that certainly is a big part of the legal debate. If we agree that the unborn baby is human, then I would argue that his/her "right to life" is equal to yours or mine. So, in spite of Richard's hand waiving, it really does come down to that.

I'm enjoying this discussion. I can relate to your dilemma- my Catholic upbringing informs my conscience even today, yet I don't want to see women forced into the old "back alley/dirty coat hanger" environment. Women *will* get abortions, legal or not. If it came to a vote, I *would* vote my conscience ("No"), and still hope that women who sought them would be well cared for.

I'd like to post this to one of my blogs (leelusplace.blogspot.com). If you prefer, I will "anonymize" you.

Bob Wynne leelu • 2 minutes ago

Post it if you like. But I would like to close with the notion that not all decisions that need to be made, need to be made by government. And if the solution is not universal, then it should not be enforced by law.

leelu Bob Wynne • in a minute

Agreed!

And there we have it.  What do you think?

Demon's Nest

On time this week.

Don't be hard on the maggots!

Via Pibgorn

Primary Challenger to Boehner!

Here's his "Meet Eric" page.

Hey, should be better than the (spit) incumbent, and damned better than any Democrat, no?

Of course, I could be wrong.

The Day We Fight Back

 

From Day By Day (obviously!)

APOD Rocks Today!

The Felix Baumgartner jump:


APOD

Belated Demons

Once again, I've bee remiss in staying on top of the weekly Demon's Nest of Sentiments.  This week's here, the rest below the fold...

It was 40 Years Today...

Mr. Brooks Taught The Band to...

Bah, that's not gonna fly.

But this did:




From  Ace!

How Fast Do You Read??

I'm still above 400 words per minute (455-ish on this test).  Guess I wasn't really cut out to be a college prof!

Source: Staples eReader Department

Via @The Anchoress

Yet Another Blog!

My daughter has the genealogy bug, and I have been scanning photos and documents for to use in her research.  I plan on writing them all off to disc, and then thought "Why not a Tumblr page for her to use?"  I can get the pictures to her, and add notes and comments to explain what each one is about.

New tab for the site - "Leelu's Tumblr" at the top.  A bit thin right now, but More To Come!