Greetings:
It seems that there has been a lot of
attention focused lately on Munoz Family problems with John Peter Smith
(JPS) hospital in Fort Worth. It seems that about 8 weeks ago Eric
Munoz found his wife, Marlise Munoz, lying unconscious on the kitchen
floor. She was 14 weeks pregnant then and is about 22 weeks pregnant
now. But, here's the kicker; she has been pronounced "brain dead" and
the family wants JPS to take her off of life support. In effect,
killing the baby as well. JPS has refused citing a 1999 law that
requires a hospital to keep a woman on life support if she is pregnant.
Eric's lawyers say that this law was never intended to apply to someone who is "brain dead." Question: To whom would this law apply? A woman who is fully conscious does not need life support. I would think that this is exactly the kind of situation to which this law would apply. Anyway, according to the Dallas Morning News,
on Friday afternoon (yesterday) a local judge ruled that JPS had to
remove all life support from Marlise Munoz by Monday afternoon,
presumably by 6:00 p.m. or before. In effect, killing the baby as well
as killing Marlise's brain-dead body. The baby is now 22 weeks old and
will be what is called by the press a "viable fetus" in another two
weeks. So, since the baby could be delivered by Ceaseran section in two
or three weeks the family is, effectively, having an abortion for
Marlise. Remember, she was 14 weeks pregnant when she slipped into a
coma and could have had an abortion at any time before that had she
chosen to do so. Apparently she did want the baby before the accident
and subsequent hospital stay.
But the family says that
had she known that the baby was deformed she would have chosen
abortion. And the family says that the baby is not only deformed (legs)
but also has heart problems and water on the brain. Something that JPS
has neither confirmed nor denied. My question is this: If the baby
were "viable" at this time could you perform an abortion? Not on your
Nelly! It would be the same as killing a three-year-old baby because it
was deformed, had brain damage and heart problems. The first question
is, "At what point is the beginning of life?" The local and national
press, as well as the family, believe that life begins at 24 weeks when
the baby can be delivered but that Marlise is only 22 weeks pregnant now and should have the abortion by effectively killling her brain-dead body.
In
Torah study on the past Monday, one of the gentlemen (obviously of the
more "Liberal Jew" classification) in the class protested that,"What if
the fetus is deformed and/or has brain damage?" He is of that class
that does not understand that life begins when G-d creates it, at
conception, not some "legalese" definition of life such as that
determined in our courts. Obviously I am in the more "Conservative" or
"Orthodox"Jewish belief that G-d's court has already determined that the
baby is alive. It is funny that people in the USA have been convicted
(legally, in court) of murder for causing a woman to miscarry, even
before the magical 24-week statute of "viability" period. Yet, this
judge had determined that the baby is still a fetus and not yet alive
since it is not 24-weeks old. In two more weeks, it will be what they
call a "viable fetus" and re-classified a "baby" by law. I am not sure
but it seems that if the "fetus" were not brain damaged and/or deformed
that the family would want Marlise kept alive. Or so it seems. They
have not publicly stated one way or the other except to declare that the
baby is deformed and has brain damage. I am still waiting for JPS to
confirm or deny that report. But it does not really matter, does it?
So,
feel free to comment, for or against killing Marlise's brain-dead body
and her baby. Or not. I will publish anything that is "readable" one
way or the other. Meaning, no name calling, no angry anti-abortion or
pro-abortion rants but something intelligent and readable by high-school
students or college freshmen. (College FreshLadies?) No profane nor
vulgar language, please.
Shalom,
Yaakov
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Thursday, January 23, 2014
PIC - What About Wendy Davis ?
Greetings:
The title above is all about being Politically-Incorrect. For those who do not follow Texas Politics, Wendy Davis is a Texas State Senator from the Fort Worth area of the country. She made national headlines last year by filibustering for 11 hours (while wearing a catheter connected to a plastic bag on her leg so she would not have to stop to go to the restroom) in protest to the Senate Bill 5 that dealt with health-care restrictions on abortion clinics. This bill would have greatly restricted poorly designed and maintained clinics by forcing clinic doctors to be within 35 miles of an accredited hospital and the doctor would have to be on the approved doctors list at that hospital. Wendy was successful at blocking the bill for that term of the Senate because time ran out at midnight. She finished up about 9:00 p.m. and the left-wing, liberal gallery of her supporters kept cheering and disrupting the Senate until after midnight. But Governor Perry called a special session within a week and the bill not only passed a few weeks later but but the bill was upheld by the Supreme Court of the USA when it was challenged later.
Wendy became an instant national celebrity and appeared within the week on several national talk shows as an abortions champion. Riding that national recognition for her "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" stunt, she decided that if the Democratic Party of Texas was to ever regain a foothold that they should do it with her. So Wendy now has switched allegiances from Republican (which she supported for years) and is now a Democrat. Personally, this is much like deserting her husband and two children so that she could be a full-time lawyer and politician. If a man did this, the press would be all over him for moral turpitude - and, indeed, even some of the more liberal press are taking her to task about her "little white lies" in her early campaigning days a few weeks ago.
Little White Lies:
Oh, yes; the Republican candidate running against her is not much better from my viewpoint. We have not had a decent candidate for any political office in over 50 years. Texas politics are a lot like politics anywhere else, only down here at least they pretend to be "Good Guys" who are looking out for your benefit. But they are just like all of the politicians in CA, NY, NJ and Chicago; crooked as a dog's hind leg. When they die, usually they are so crooked that you have to screw them into the ground like a carnival tent-peg.
Shalom
Yaakov
Some relevant links:
The title above is all about being Politically-Incorrect. For those who do not follow Texas Politics, Wendy Davis is a Texas State Senator from the Fort Worth area of the country. She made national headlines last year by filibustering for 11 hours (while wearing a catheter connected to a plastic bag on her leg so she would not have to stop to go to the restroom) in protest to the Senate Bill 5 that dealt with health-care restrictions on abortion clinics. This bill would have greatly restricted poorly designed and maintained clinics by forcing clinic doctors to be within 35 miles of an accredited hospital and the doctor would have to be on the approved doctors list at that hospital. Wendy was successful at blocking the bill for that term of the Senate because time ran out at midnight. She finished up about 9:00 p.m. and the left-wing, liberal gallery of her supporters kept cheering and disrupting the Senate until after midnight. But Governor Perry called a special session within a week and the bill not only passed a few weeks later but but the bill was upheld by the Supreme Court of the USA when it was challenged later.
Wendy became an instant national celebrity and appeared within the week on several national talk shows as an abortions champion. Riding that national recognition for her "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" stunt, she decided that if the Democratic Party of Texas was to ever regain a foothold that they should do it with her. So Wendy now has switched allegiances from Republican (which she supported for years) and is now a Democrat. Personally, this is much like deserting her husband and two children so that she could be a full-time lawyer and politician. If a man did this, the press would be all over him for moral turpitude - and, indeed, even some of the more liberal press are taking her to task about her "little white lies" in her early campaigning days a few weeks ago.
Little White Lies:
- “After I graduated I got married and divorced, and by the time I was 19 I was a single parent and I was living in a mobile home in southeast Fort Worth, and I was destined to live the life that I watched my mother live,"
- Actually, she got a divorce when she was 21.
- She only lived in her parent's mobile home for a few months while she got a divorce from her first husband and father of her daughter conceived out of wedlock at 18.
- While married to her first husband, Frank Underwood, she dated and later married Jeff Davis, a local attorney that she had met while working as a waitress at night at her father's theater and supper club.
- Jeff Davis cashed in his 401(k) retirement to pay for her to finish at a community college as a para-legal and then go on to TCU and Harvard. He also took out loans to finance her education, something on which she rarely comments.
- She raised her two daughters. Actually, while attending TCU and Harvard, her mother and her husband kept the two daughters so the Wendy could devote full-time to her education. When they divorced in 2005, Jeff Davis gained full custody of the two girls so that Wendy could be free to pursue her career and job. (Shades of Jimmy Johnson, former coach of the Dallas Cowboys, who did the same thing to his spouse!) But, Wendy is paying Jeff $1,200 per month for child support.
- Under terms of the divorce from her first husband, he got a boat, the mobile home and the responsibility for the mortgage on it. She got a 3-year-old Pontiac Grand Prix, a 1972 Firebird and a 1967 Chevy pickup. Davis was 21. Quite a haul for someone without any hopes of going anywhere or doing anything with her life.
Oh, yes; the Republican candidate running against her is not much better from my viewpoint. We have not had a decent candidate for any political office in over 50 years. Texas politics are a lot like politics anywhere else, only down here at least they pretend to be "Good Guys" who are looking out for your benefit. But they are just like all of the politicians in CA, NY, NJ and Chicago; crooked as a dog's hind leg. When they die, usually they are so crooked that you have to screw them into the ground like a carnival tent-peg.
Shalom
Yaakov
Some relevant links:
- Wendy Davis Misstated Details Of Personal Story
- As Wendy Davis touts life story in race for governor, key facts blurred
- On Wendy Davis' bio: How I didn't get that story
- Single Teen Mom? Texas's Wendy Davis Lied About Life Story
- Report: Wendy Davis' life story more complicated than compelling narrative
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Friends and Friendships
Greetings:
Ever since childhood I have had friends who come into my life and add to my experience as a person. Some are more lasting, some are more important than others, some are just acquaintances and not what you might call a friend but certainly not an enemy. The juvenile BFF concept of recent days is not what is being discussed here. I remember a quote from Hamlet that goes:
Lately, I have often thought of those words. Friends (not family) are important. Family is important, but sometimes your family members are not friends like the ones described below. Throughout life I have grouped my friends into one of several classes:
Working Friends: These are just bit more than an Acquaintance. They are friends from work with whom you have developed a bit of trust - usually NOT your boss or supervisor, but it could be in some circumstances. I might describe these as those friends with whom you might go out to supper now and then, have a drink after work and maybe go to lunch now and then. Usually they would be those on your working team that you can support or they support you on various concepts.
Friends: These are about the same as Working Friends except that you do not work with these folks on a daily basis. These are friends from church or temple, next door neighbors or neighbors down the street, friends from social groups such as Masons or those on working committees on various activities, such as conferences or neighborhood action groups.
Good Friends: These folks are those who "kind of" meet the description below about Best Friends but have not been "tried in the fire" as it were - but who have proven to be supportive over the years, who would come pick up if you had a car wreck, who would give you $50 if you needed it (and they had it) without any questions - not even ask you to pay it back. And you would do the same because you do not have many of these kinds of friends. I am now down to only a few persons of that caliber who could be called a Good Friend. After all these years...
Best Friends: This is the person of whom Polonius is speaking above. Friends who have been there for you when you needed them and their own safety or job might be in danger if they supported your position or activity. These are those friends with whom you would leave your children or wife. I would trust these friends with my password to my computer, with my bank account, with my wife or with my life.
So - how about you? Who (outside of your family) could you call a Best Friend - or even a Good Friend? Careful. Do not be hasty about this.
Good Friends: Have you known them for more than 10 years? Have they been called upon to help and actually did it with willingness, not just because they had to do it? Did you have to help them out of some situation or volunteer to help them? Did they volunteer or jump into the fray for you? Yes, I am down to only three or four of those persons now. There have been others, but I have long since lost contact with them and now, even though I am sure that we could be Good Friends again, we do not contact each other any more.
Best Friends: Would you trust this person so save your life if it meant that he/she might lose theirs? I am down to only one person in my life with whom I would share my password on my computer or bank account. At my age, that is really sad but true. A person with whom you could trust you money, your life or your wife is rare indeed. If you have at least one, then you are blessed. If you have as many as five, then your life has been full indeed.
Until next time,
Shalom
Yaakov
Ever since childhood I have had friends who come into my life and add to my experience as a person. Some are more lasting, some are more important than others, some are just acquaintances and not what you might call a friend but certainly not an enemy. The juvenile BFF concept of recent days is not what is being discussed here. I remember a quote from Hamlet that goes:
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar:
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel;
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel;
[Hamlet, Act 1, Scene3, Polonius speaking to Laertes..]
- Acquaintances (+3,000)
- Working Friends (+500)
- Friends (+50)
- Good Friends (5 or so)
- Best Friends (1)
Working Friends: These are just bit more than an Acquaintance. They are friends from work with whom you have developed a bit of trust - usually NOT your boss or supervisor, but it could be in some circumstances. I might describe these as those friends with whom you might go out to supper now and then, have a drink after work and maybe go to lunch now and then. Usually they would be those on your working team that you can support or they support you on various concepts.
Friends: These are about the same as Working Friends except that you do not work with these folks on a daily basis. These are friends from church or temple, next door neighbors or neighbors down the street, friends from social groups such as Masons or those on working committees on various activities, such as conferences or neighborhood action groups.
Good Friends: These folks are those who "kind of" meet the description below about Best Friends but have not been "tried in the fire" as it were - but who have proven to be supportive over the years, who would come pick up if you had a car wreck, who would give you $50 if you needed it (and they had it) without any questions - not even ask you to pay it back. And you would do the same because you do not have many of these kinds of friends. I am now down to only a few persons of that caliber who could be called a Good Friend. After all these years...
Best Friends: This is the person of whom Polonius is speaking above. Friends who have been there for you when you needed them and their own safety or job might be in danger if they supported your position or activity. These are those friends with whom you would leave your children or wife. I would trust these friends with my password to my computer, with my bank account, with my wife or with my life.
So - how about you? Who (outside of your family) could you call a Best Friend - or even a Good Friend? Careful. Do not be hasty about this.
Good Friends: Have you known them for more than 10 years? Have they been called upon to help and actually did it with willingness, not just because they had to do it? Did you have to help them out of some situation or volunteer to help them? Did they volunteer or jump into the fray for you? Yes, I am down to only three or four of those persons now. There have been others, but I have long since lost contact with them and now, even though I am sure that we could be Good Friends again, we do not contact each other any more.
Best Friends: Would you trust this person so save your life if it meant that he/she might lose theirs? I am down to only one person in my life with whom I would share my password on my computer or bank account. At my age, that is really sad but true. A person with whom you could trust you money, your life or your wife is rare indeed. If you have at least one, then you are blessed. If you have as many as five, then your life has been full indeed.
Until next time,
Shalom
Yaakov
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