The good news, I finished our tax return and I get some of my own money back. The bad news is it is nearly 75% of the federal income tax that was withheld. This means that not only does the government take my money every year, but they take too much of it and then try to make me feel good by giving me a “refund.” Every year I think I change my withholding so that it will be closer to what I actually owe and every year they end up getting more of my money. Good luck to the rest of you and here’s to making sure the government gets as little of your money as is possibly legal.

On a side note, I am so glad we just spent a trillion more dollars on things that I probably won’t help “bail us out” and I don’t agree with anyway. I am really happy that the government is going to take care of my health care and retirement and it is going to be great. I am too dumb to invest my own money and plan for these things myself so I am lucky to be an American where I am entitled to everything.

Here are some notes on the issue of physician assisted suicide from my father.  Washington has a ballot measure to allow physician assisted suicide.  Here are his thoughts on the matter in a letter to the editor.

Dear Editor,

As we approach Tuesday’s election the people of the State of Washington have an important decision to make regarding Initiative 1000 which gives people permission to end their life by suicide and simultaneously allows physicians to knowingly prescribe lethal overdoses. So much about this initiative is wrong-minded. May I please make two points.

Currently, when people who intend to commit suicide are recognized by medical personnel those providers are obligated to provide mental health treatment. By Washington State law (The Involuntary Treatment Act), if a patient is deemed to be imminently suicidal and will not accept treatment he, or she, will be detained and treated involuntarily. We, as a society, have determined that suicide is not an acceptable alternative to whatever horrible circumstances one may face. Our response is to treat the illness, both medical and psychiatric, and assist in the resolution of financial and social circumstances that lead patients to conclude that hastening their death is their only alternative. Depression itself, without other illness, is a terminal illness when untreated and leads to suicide. Suicide is not an acceptable end to one’s life. How is that dignified?

Secondly, may I address your physician readers. Where in your training as a physician were you ever taught that assisting a suicide is good medicine? Most of us swore the Hippocratic Oath as we were given the privilege to call ourselves Doctor. I quote from that oath: “I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.”

To patients, families, and physicians alike, preserve the dignity and sanctity of life: Vote no on I-1000.

Steven Pace MD
Steilacoom, WA

Here is some incredible video footage from 1904 London that I found while surfing the net.  I think it is interesting how crowded it is even then.  What a cool thing to find.