Jonathan

Check out ExtremePumpkins.com.

(Thanks to Chicago Boyz BF and WV.)

This is a terrible situation that cannot end well. The short version: woman in long-term coma, husband wants to starve her to death, parents want to keep her alive, judge invests the comatose woman with imaginary death-wish, legislature steps in to keep her alive. Much obfuscatory verbiage has been spread about the case, especially by people wielding the non sequitur “right to die” as though it were a mantra. Moira Breen cuts through the bullshit, here and here and includes many informative links. One of the best links is to an extremely thoughtful analysis by Peter Sean Bradley (scroll down to his top post for October 27 if the wretched Blogspot permalink doesn’t work).

UPDATE: Moira links to another informative post, this one by Carl Zimmer.

In the city of the future, life’s necessities will be at our fingertips. . .

(Maybe that button should really be labeled: “Pizza”)

I apologize. I had intended to blog about:

-The moral hazard created by government payments to California fire victims, who are thereby encouraged to rebuild their homes in vulnerable areas.

-Or about DARPA, which, despite my carping, does a lot of useful research and has a fascinating website (via Kaedrin) that Lex is on my case to write something about.

-Or about George Bush’s possible coming dilemma: if the economy continues to improve, and the Fed resumes juicing the money supply, and Treasury keeps talking down the dollar, and gold prices keep creeping up, there could start to be a lot of inflation worries — and pressure for Fed tightening — just as the 2004 political season gets into high gear and the President is most vulnerable.

(Does anyone know of a 12-step program for photoshopaholics?)

Don’t mess with Karlo.