Court allows mother to collect dead son’s sperm

This story just disturbed me, in a number of ways.

The story in a nutshell: Nik Evans died after a bar fight (he fell and hit his head).  His mother wants to carry out his wish of having children someday (according to her, he wanted three kids).  So before he’s taken off life support, she wanted to collect some of his sperm to carry out this wish.  Judge Guy Herman says yes.

This is a horrible story, and the mother is rightly grieving.  But keeping her son’s sperm so she can “keep a piece of him” isn’t the way to honor him.

There’s a bioethics expert from the University of Texas who says Texas state law gives parents control over a child’s body, but sperm isn’t clearly called out.  The problem here is that Evans wasn’t a child – he was 21, an adult for at least three years.  At want point do a parent’s right to the body of a child end?  Not having read the Texas law, I don’t know, and the article doesn’t mention it.

As an adoptive father and a supporter of zero population growth, I’m really disturbed that there are people out there collecting sperm from dead people to make more human beings.  We have plenty as it is - roughly 6.7 billion right now and counting – and we can’t keep them all fed and housed and clothed.  We don’t need more.

Texas judge allows collection of dead son's sperm

Anger Over AIG Depletes Obama's Capital - CBS News

This has got me a little bent – populist “mobs” of people are in arms about this, and even Congressional leaders are asking tough questions.

Let’s do the math people – according to the article, AIG has recieved 170 billion (that $175,000,000,000) in government bailout money.

They then paid 165 million (that’s $165,000,000) in bonuses to top performers.

That represents 0.1 percent (or one dollar for every thousand) of government bailout money.  One tenth of one percent is what we’re up in arms about.

It just goes to show how much math education in this country needs to improve.

As for the Representatives and Senators asking where Treasury Secretrary Tim Geithner was when this was happening, I have one thing to say:  I fervently hope he was overseeing the distribution of the other 99.9% of the money, because I’m fairly certain none our legislators were.

Anger Over AIG Depletes Obama's Capital - CBS News

Reason Number 27 Why I Don't Do Starbucks

They have a gift card personalization program - get a gift card with a personal message on it.  According to them, however, foreign phrases and political statements are off limits.

However, the problem is "Laissez Faire" appears to be the only foreign phrase political statement they won't print.  Seems they will print "People Not Profits" and "Si Se Puede".

For the record, "laissez faire" is French for "leave us alone", describing the classic liberal philosophy of open markets and limited government intervention.  "Si Se Puede" is Spanish for "Yes We Can", the slogan of the United Farm Workers and recently adopted, in English, by Barak Obama.

In other words, a company who is a great example of a capitalism success story won't print pro-Capitalism slogans on cards, just pro-Socialist ones.

And this is why I buy my coffee from Tully's.

del.icio.us Tags: capitalism,socialism,economics,coffee

Starbucks and 'Laissez Faire'

Good bye, First Amendment...

Don't even think of exercising it if you want to be on a citizen's advisory councils for local Chicago parks.  Apparently, if you want to be part of the council, you'll need to submit to a criminal background check and provide references.  And any money you wind up raising for the new swing set may be used for other things.

Apparently, the park district's director of legislative and community affairs, Tim King, says it's just a "well-intentioned effort" to bring order to the system. 

Almost every evil deed done under the sun was well-intentioned, and the really insidious ones have that lawyerly tone to them that make your butt pucker.  You live there?  Tell King to take a long walk off Navy Pier.

del.icio.us Tags: government,regulation,liberty,economics

Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Got an opinion? Park District has rules | Crain's

Is Salvia the Next Marijuana?

If you live in Florida, try not to stand in front of Representative Mary Brandenburg, lest her knee-jerking cause you great bodily injury.

More on this later...

del.icio.us Tags: crime,government,drugs,reponsibility,liberty

Is Salvia the Next Marijuana?

Auto Loan Defaults Newest Financial Meltdown

Maybe when I wrote about the subprime mortgage problems and alluded to buying more car than you can afford, I should have kept my mouth shut.  Apparently, that's exactly what's happening.

Of course, in this case, it is pure fraud - inflating income to qualify for financing.  The question is who is at fault - the seller who put down an inflated income, or the buyer who signed the lease knowing the figure was wrong.

I think they should live in adjoining cells for a few months.

del.icio.us Tags: economics,responsibility,consumers

cbs5.com - Auto Loan Defaults Newest Financial Meltdown

Pennsylvania takes on online auctions

Next time someone asks me why I don't like state licensing of businesses and trades, I'll point to this story.

The hero, one Mary Jo Pletz, was investigated by PA state officials for running an eBay store without a PA state auctioneers license.  The situation was summed up brilliantly by Barry Fallon, who was similarly investigated by PA's bureaucrats:

It's like the buggy-whip manufacturer's deciding whether these newfangled automobile manufacturers can do it without a buggy-whip license.

It's wrong, plain and simple - in this age of easy, instant, and world-wide communications and commerce, PA foisting their licensing scheme on a global business makes no sense.

Remember, you voted for these people - call them and tell them what you think.

del.icio.us Tags: liberty,economics,licensing,government,internet,crime

Pennsylvania takes on online auctions | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/30/2008

Reckless Mortgage Lenders Do Not Deserve to Be Rescued Either

Great article, as is the predecessor article on why irresponsible borrowers don't deserve a bail-out.  And no, I don't want to hear that you're losing you home because of this.  As a responsible homeowner, mortgage holder, and taxpayer, I'm tired of bailing out folks who think they don't need to be responsible.

You bought more house than you can afford - had you done this with any other commodity and a credit card, you wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of a bailout.  Why should you get one because there's a house involved?

del.icio.us Tags: government,responsibility,economics,essay

Reckless Mortgage Lenders Do Not Deserve to Be Rescued Either