Two things to write about today

First, the original Hippocratic oath:

I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:

To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art.

I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.

All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot.


Funny how we forget that bolded part as doctors now regularly perform abortions, give lethal drugs to the terminally ill on request, and are present at executions.


Second: Georgia will execute an innocent man in 10 days. Please join me in signing the petition to stop it, this cannot be allowed to happen!

Wow...bad taste ahead...

I know that here in the PNW we tend to take a casual attitude towards religion, but this is ridiculous.

No Hooters shirts in Mass, please.

Really now, folks...try to have at least a little respect for whatever religious house you're in!

Blood is thicker than...what?

I've accepted that my husband and I will never have children of our own. It's out of our control, things happened long ago, we're done worrying about it. We've talked adoption and are in the process of saving up for adoption fees.

Those closest to us are understanding, accept that what we're doing is what's best for us, and have offered nothing but love and support.

Our own parents have not been so supportive. Almost every week it's some passive-aggressive remark about how lovely it would be to have grandchildren around. When I mentioned adoption, the outcries of "I don't want someone ELSE'S grandchildren, I want MY grandchildren!" were enough to send me home in tears.

Every week I get some article in my inbox about the latest scientific breakthroughs in fertility technology (we're both against IVF and artificial methods in general) and guilt trips about how selfish we're being.

I'm sick of it. It's not just angering, it's heartbreaking.

Six years ago

In Iran, two teenage boys were publicly hanged.

Their 'crime'? Being homosexuals.

There are forces in this country who would like nothing more than to bring the same punishment down on GLBTQ persons. I shouldn't feel terror at this minority, and yet...this country could go either way and intolerance still abounds.

At 13, she was ruined

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/26/988771/-At-13,-She-Was-Ruined

I agreed with this article until they brought abortion into the picture (yeah, I know, big shock huh?).

I won't claim to know about Appalachian life or subculture. I'm pretty sheltered in my liberal city/suburban lifestyle and perhaps it's better that I am. I can't fathom of a world where teenage girls are routinely married off to men twice their age or more--and yes, I realize it's a common occurrence in many parts of the world even to this day.

A 13 year old is a child. A 30-something man is an adult. This *should* be red flag #1.

Said child is pregnant by 14 and increasingly isolated from her friends and schoolmates by both the adult man and the subculture around her. She herself is the child of a single mother, so the adult male marries her. She should be *thrilled*, right? After all, he's doing the "right thing" (never mind that the real "right thing" would have been to leave her alone in the first place).

Her husband ignored her requests for help when stated she wasn't feeling well (what would HE know of teenage pregnancy, I wonder), until it was too late and he came home to find her unconscious on the floor, severely brain-damaged from a stroke. The baby didn't make it.

No one blamed her husband for anything. Not even neglect, since now this poor girl would be brain damaged for life and never able to care for herself.

From the article: It's doubtful that she was ever given the option of having an abortion, or giving the baby up for adoption, or even raising the child on her own.

Abortion is not the answer. Proper healthcare (which I doubt this girl ever received) would have saved both her and her baby.

The chilling after effects of sex-selective abortion

Unnatural Selection.

I want to read this book. Framed in this light, I can't help but find myself wondering how any feminist could support abortion.

Why does the reason matter?

keep the Southwest in your thoughts and prayers!

Wallow fire nearing New Mexico border.