Saturday, April 10, 2010

euthanasia

Euthanasia: from the encyclopedia Britinica: also called mercy killing act or practice of painlessly putting to death persons suffering from painful and incurable disease or incapacitating physical disorder or allowing them to die by withholding treatment or withdrawing artificial life-support measures. Because there is no specific provision for it in most legal systems, it is usually regarded as either suicide (if performed by the patient himself) or murder (if performed by another). A physician may, however, lawfully decide not to prolong life in cases of extreme suffering; and he may administer drugs to relieve pain, even if this shortens the patient’s life. In the late 20th century, several European countries had special provisions in their criminal codes for lenient sentencing and the consideration of extenuating circumstances in prosecutions for euthanasia.


1935 in England saw the first lobbying group to form for the purpose of legalizing human euthanasia - not the tyrannical fascist dictator kind but the kind borne of kindness and letting go. America saw the same thing in 1938 - both called 'the Euthanasia Society.' one of America the other doesn't state it's country as it started there. Finally in 2001, in the Netherlands, a law was passed legalizing/decriminalizing the right to end your own life in pain (see definitions above). Belgium in 2002. Oregon has a law allowing physician-assisted suicide. Why do I post all this today?
Well, it was today in 2001 that the Netherlands leagalized it.

I only wish that a post from a few days ago didn't contain the poem that it did - it's perfect for today - here is a link. Disambiguation - Wednesday morning 3:21

 today we have a altogether different thing:


(sipping coffee) I just don't know what that is yet.

listening Pachelbel's Canon  - and concentrating on the harpsichord in the distance - it foreshadows the build, and calm - like a great poem or play there are distant clues which I had not heard in this recording until today.

(sipping coffee) this is related to everything today. This was written before we moved to this great house and now no longer have a freezing basement where I think the pipes might give way at anymoment.

gravity

there’s a certain
affection for being a pariah;
black sheep goes better
with vodka & olives
than whisky & water.

I have an infatuation for
television personalities and
watch their shows love sick
with longing & heartbroken;
going through the same motions
everyone does while
waiting for the nude scene &
drinking bad housewife coffee.

but this is not enough.
there is no exception to
the rule of mortal law
as there is no exception to
the gravitational effect on drunkenness.

and so I sit here at
the typewriter in a
freezing basement
waiting for the phone to ring
or the pipes to burst.

- Hoc Scripsi

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