Just Wondering

If you run a television station in the hopes of dispelling negative perceptions of Muslims in America and then you allegedly decapitate your wife after she filed for divorce, aren't you just maybe working against your interests?

In Which I Make A Statement

I came across this story on cnn.com today. Similar in many aspects to the Terri Schiavo case, it got me to thinking - again - about what we mean when we talk about "quality of life." Cases like these, I'm sure, have opened up a dialogue for the rest of us and, therefore, we may be more aware of how to make our wishes known in advance - God forbid the need for such wishes to be carried out - but spending years in a vegetative state and wasting away physically is not "living."

I understand, I truly do, the desire to preserve life, but at what cost? For those who would deny someone the chance to end their loved one's state of being, when said state of being requires the use of machinery just to keep their body functioning at a bare minimum, the argument just doesn't make sense. In regards to this case, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said, "I will do everything I can to save [Englaro's] life. We have to do everything possible to stop a person from dying." When it is clear that a patient will never recover, will never have any quality of life, will never be able to function apart from the very machines that make "life" possible, why must we prevent death? How, really, will death be any different from the "life" she had?

I'm certainly not advocating arbitrary euthanasia, neither am I disregarding that people have miraculously come out of years-long comatose states, but the rights of the patients and the patient's loved ones must be considered. Even in heavily-Catholic, anti-euthanasia Italy, a patient can refuse treatment. Neither Terri Schiavo nor Eluana Englaro was ever going to be able to refuse treatment and others had to speak for them.

We must listen.

Do Good

Oh my Good God but this is cool - and it's for a great cause!

j from Cheese and Whine posted the link, I followed it and now I'm sharing it with you (you know, all 5 of you who occasionally check me out).

Go here and do some good.

"More So," Really?

This one's been bothering me for a while...

Once Noggin is done for the day (6 pm, my time), if the TV is going to be on (I turn it off repeatedly throughout the day, but the kids know how to turn it on - I think that, like their Nana, they're fans of background noise while they play), I make sure that it's set to The Good Night Show on Sprout. Both Muffins are in love with Thomas and they seem to find Sagwa and Kipper appealing, as well. I don't mind much of the programming, but I'm not a fan of The Berenstain Bears, never have been. J is, though, and the kids like to dance to the theme song.

Anyway...not being a fan of the Berenstain Bears seems to mean that I'm acutely aware of when it comes on. Call me crazy, call me anal, but I can't stand the theme song. I know, I know, it's supposed to be cute and catchy and doesn't have to make sense, but bears are not just like you and me, with the only difference being that they live in a tree. I do appreciate the line about Momma, Poppa, Sister and Brother always making it through and being there for each other in good times and bad - that's a great example of familyness and one that I hope we instill in our kids, but the line that really gets me?

"They're a lot like people, only more so."

Come again?