An Ontario member of parliament recently introduced a bill to allow presumed consent of organ donations, but it was voted down. Our premier, Dalton McGuinty, said that Ontarians are not ready for that now. However, presumed consent is the law in many European countries and the stigma associated with organ donation no longer exists there. This law means that you don't have to opt-in to give your consent for your organs to be used if there is a medical need, and that leads to much shorter waiting lists for organ transplants and many lives saved. If people don't want to have their organs used, they can opt-out of the law.
I think the idea that we are not ready for presumed consent comes from really superstitious notions about the body after death. This kind of thinking says that you should keep your body whole because your soul or consciousness is still associated with it. Well I say it's going to decay anyway, so you might as well help someone else out. Any thoughts?
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Wallowing
Recently I had a surprising conversation with my good friend Dan. He is working on his Masters in bio-engineering or some such difficult area. He deals with cells a lot. Anyway, I know that he's been dragging his feet a bit with his thesis, and in this conversation he told me that he was given a one month deadline to finish his big essay.
If it's not done, then *poof* no more funding. So he was staying up late on his last night of not working on his project so that he could extend his last day of procrastination. This was kind of surprising to me because I know that Dan is a hard worker in addition to being a procrastinater. And because he really is considering just giving up on his masters. I think that we have to figure out what's right for us, not just do what we think seems right because it pays more or it's more academic, and I hope Dan can find the right path, whether it's finishing his masters (frankly, advisable after all the work he's put in) or doing something completely different such as becoming a scuba instructer (that would be cool).
As for me, I'm definitely wallowing around in some kind of misery here, lately. I'm not doing much of anything and I'm not motivated to start much of anything, either. I just want to get back to Toronto and start my life there, hopefully with a minimum of financial pain. I want to be active, physically, but it's like I'm waiting for my return to Canada before that can start. I know that I should start working out here, but I just wish there were some people I could do it with. Well, there is one other ALT at my gym who I know. This big black man named Jerrold. He's friendly, and maybe I can get him to work out with me sometime. Hm. Okay I'll give it a try.
Signing off,
Captain Rhubarb
If it's not done, then *poof* no more funding. So he was staying up late on his last night of not working on his project so that he could extend his last day of procrastination. This was kind of surprising to me because I know that Dan is a hard worker in addition to being a procrastinater. And because he really is considering just giving up on his masters. I think that we have to figure out what's right for us, not just do what we think seems right because it pays more or it's more academic, and I hope Dan can find the right path, whether it's finishing his masters (frankly, advisable after all the work he's put in) or doing something completely different such as becoming a scuba instructer (that would be cool).
As for me, I'm definitely wallowing around in some kind of misery here, lately. I'm not doing much of anything and I'm not motivated to start much of anything, either. I just want to get back to Toronto and start my life there, hopefully with a minimum of financial pain. I want to be active, physically, but it's like I'm waiting for my return to Canada before that can start. I know that I should start working out here, but I just wish there were some people I could do it with. Well, there is one other ALT at my gym who I know. This big black man named Jerrold. He's friendly, and maybe I can get him to work out with me sometime. Hm. Okay I'll give it a try.
Signing off,
Captain Rhubarb
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Back at last
At long last another post... This one was inspired by msn chats with Michele in Scotland. I told her I wanted to go to Kyoto but didn't know what to do there. She said take pictures. I said you're a genius. And thus, this post was born.
Today Matt Feitelberg and I went to Kyoto. It hailed a little and he didn't buy his bike parts because the banks were closed, but we had fun.
In Japan they call him Matt-to!
Where should we go next? The monk pointed towards our destination - the orange gate.
We left the temple and chose a direction. En route we saw two Tanuki. Note the ball sacs.
A wooden bicycle. Fully rideable. Matt informs me he was going to make his own wooden bike too. But then he didn't.
The orange Tori. It's the temple's gate. Note Matt in the foreground with his courier bag. He likes bikes.
A horse. He eats the paper.
Temple was busy today because of holidays. Lining the streets are overpriced food vendors. We got okonomiyaki. The woman in the foreground is licking her lips.
The women are tying their wish-papers on the line with everyone else's. Then the monks burn them.
If my face looks fat that's because it is. To the gym I go!!
The people were shaking these copper containers. I thought they had money in them. Then I tried it and there was a horoscope written on this copper stick that came out. This one isn't my horoscope though.
This is a cool car we saw. I forget the name of the character painted on it.
Today Matt Feitelberg and I went to Kyoto. It hailed a little and he didn't buy his bike parts because the banks were closed, but we had fun.
Our first stop in Kyoto was a temple we came upon while walking into the city. This is the walk up to the temple complex. Which temple it is, I don't know.
A monk sits by his bonfire. I liked the light and shadows in the smoke.
In Japan they call him Matt-to!
Where should we go next? The monk pointed towards our destination - the orange gate.
We left the temple and chose a direction. En route we saw two Tanuki. Note the ball sacs.
A wooden bicycle. Fully rideable. Matt informs me he was going to make his own wooden bike too. But then he didn't.
The orange Tori. It's the temple's gate. Note Matt in the foreground with his courier bag. He likes bikes.
A horse. He eats the paper.
Temple was busy today because of holidays. Lining the streets are overpriced food vendors. We got okonomiyaki. The woman in the foreground is licking her lips.
The women are tying their wish-papers on the line with everyone else's. Then the monks burn them.
If my face looks fat that's because it is. To the gym I go!!
The people were shaking these copper containers. I thought they had money in them. Then I tried it and there was a horoscope written on this copper stick that came out. This one isn't my horoscope though.
This is a cool car we saw. I forget the name of the character painted on it.
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