The Onion: Financial Planner Advises Shorter Life Span

October 14, 2008humor, Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

The news these days is mostly cruddy. We’ll get into that in the days to come. In the meantime, leave it up to The Onion to show us that no situation is so horrible that it can’t be laughed at – even if it’s pained laughter. Financial Planner Advises Shorter Life Span TUCSON, AZ—After reviewing his client’s income, assets, and personal budget Tuesday, Morgan Stanley financial adviser Henry Dalton determined that Jason Hutchinson, 43, could make t…

U.K.: Brignell Column on Disability and Assisted Suicide Misses Several Points

February 2, 2009assisted suicide, bioethics, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, suicide, Switzerland, United KingdomStephen Drake

…and thoughtful analyses across the pond. As we’ve pointed out before, the worldwide euthanasia movement doesn’t have an interest in limiting “eligibility” for euthanasia or assisted suicide to people who are “terminally ill,” but typically introduce legislation as a “door-opening” strategy. In fact, here in the U.S. the latest move – in New Hampshire – is an attempt to redefine “terminal condition” to encompass any “incurable” condition that will…

ABC’s GMA Helps Author Promote Memoir and Assisted Suicide

February 4, 2009assisted suicide, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', media coverage, media issues, Oregon, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality checkStephen Drake

…rning America” today. “The statute of limitations for assisted suicide has run [out] but the prosecutors can charge you with just about anything. There is no statute of limitation for murder, for manslaughter, probably certain drug offenses.” Nice drama, there, but as I noted before, it’s doubtful that anyone could prove these deaths were suicides or homicides at this stage, even if law enforcement was inclined to do more than yawn about the alleg…

Germany: Oops! Man Allegedly Kills Friend Who Was Misdiagnosed as Terminally Ill

February 9, 2009crime and punishment, Germany, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', Our News & Commentary BlogStephen Drake

…here from six months to five years in jail, according to Bild . The Local (news@thelocal.de) It’s hard to predict the outcome here. The fact that the murder was done through a multiple stabbing tends to make people less sympathetic to murderers and less inclined to think “mercy” was a motive. OTOH, the German public and courts could just shrug and decide that an honest belief that someone is dying and suffering is a good enough reason to evade a m…

Pennsylvania: Important Guardianship Ruling — Strict, Narrow Limits for Refusing Life-Sustaining Treatment

February 11, 2009court decisions, life-ending decisions, medical decisionmaking, Our News & Commentary Blog, Surrogate Decisions & GuardianshipStephen Drake

…thout hesitation, that extending life would amount to an inhumane act that runs so contrary to basic notations of fundamental decency that death furthers the best interest of the incompetent. (citation omitted) Otherwise, in assessing the benefits of a prolonged life, a court should not place any emphasis on the fact that a life-long incompetent, prior to receiving medical treatment, suffers from a mental disability or other cognitive deficiency,…