Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: I am not a quitter

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  • andrew llewellyn,

    You are between books, aren't you? That's just an observation on the frequency of posts recently.

    Anyway... I believe that joke was voted (by someone, somewhere) the best joke ever.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    It's a difficult choice isn't - it the guy's heart stopped beating for an hour - he ought to have been brain dead even if it did start beating again - equally his organs, without oxygen, would have been pretty close to being useless for transplant

    My organs are up for grabs if I kick the bucket or become a vegetable (don't get any ideas ...) because I see the upside - my family's been told and I carry a card

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Thomas,

    i love the way they call the surgeons re-animators

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 317 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Thomas,

    beg pardon, wrong link
    Re-Animator

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 317 posts Report Reply

  • Rik,

    It's an interesting one because if he wasn't a donor they would have given up heart massage early on and he would have been dead...but because he was a donor they kept going and he lived (just).

    So your clause requiring a couple of hours before calling it is not a bad idea.

    Since Jun 2007 • 130 posts Report Reply

  • Kim Griggs,

    Just FYI....Spike Milligan wrote the joke, Richard Wiseman did set up the voting
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5064020.stm

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • Julie Fairey,

    Do we actually call the time of death in NZ? This is something I was musing on last night, after being present at the passing of someone recently. I didn't notice anyone doing the whole American TV thing of looking at the watch and pronouncing the time.

    Donor stuff is tricky. I strongly want any of my body that is useful to be recycled if it can be. But I also understand that when I'm going/gone it is actually my family who are left to deal with that, not me, and if not donating my organs would make them feel better then it might be a bit rough of me to insist (quite apart from the difficulty of enforcing that!). I don't envy the medical professionals who have to deal with families over this issue.

    In the case I mentioned above the person who died felt very strongly in favour of donation, and we had discussed it a few months previously (didn't even know he was sick!). As it turned out he wasn't a candidate for donation, for medical reasons, so it never came up, and I'm glad we didn't have to make those decisions in the context of an unexpected bereavement.

    Puketapapa Mt Roskill, AK… • Since Dec 2007 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    The human body is an amazing thing :)

    There seems far too much legislation and attitude bent toward "switching off" when perhaps legislation and an attitude toward preserving life would reveal more of those amazing secrets.

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • samuel walker,

    perhaps legislation and an attitude toward preserving life would reveal more of those amazing secrets.

    thats not really how the current human world works Grant. take into account quality versus quantity of life; less drain on resources; better social structures; more effective sharing of ideas and ideals. how does bigger crowds help us understand any more than chaos theory?

    sometimes more control equals heaps more mess.

    Since Nov 2006 • 203 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    I understand the world is not perfect. That''s the very reason I suggest it could be better!

    What was your comment about control in aid of?

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Spike Milligan was the reason I joined the Artillary - a good choice for humour in impossibly ridiculous situation - normally of our own making.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • samuel walker,

    sorry for the delay, crud of a weekend.

    I must comment, Grant, that despite you being a little more aggressive with your persistence in driving some points home than is normally acceptable you have managed to seem polite all the same, even when being 'attacked'. even though I have obviously contrary world views to yours, this politeness is appreciated.

    What was your comment about control in aid of?

    this:

    There seems far too much legislation and attitude bent toward "switching off" when perhaps legislation and an attitude toward preserving life would reveal more of those amazing secrets.

    in concert with the 'pro-life' and definition of baby in t'other thread and a possible lack of disclosure regarding whether a religious belief drives these views I would be concerned that such 'control' would come from a slightly fundamentalist sector....

    Since Nov 2006 • 203 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    I must comment, Grant, that despite you being a little more aggressive with your persistence in driving some points home than is normally acceptable you have managed to seem polite all the same, even when being 'attacked'. even though I have obviously contrary world views to yours, this politeness is appreciated.

    I thank thee, good sir :)

    I have found that one needs to be ultra polite coming from where I come from or else one gets banned fairly quickly. It's probably better that way :)

    in concert with the 'pro-life' and definition of baby in t'other thread and a possible lack of disclosure regarding whether a religious belief drives these views I would be concerned that such 'control' would come from a slightly fundamentalist sector....

    Oh. What would be the problem with having fundamentals as the basis of a legal system? Do you know what the fundamentals are?

    I hope your week is better than your weekend.

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    What would be the problem with having fundamentals as the basis of a legal system? Do you know what the fundamentals are?

    How about you define what your fundamentals are, Grant? There are, I have found, very few fundamental truths in life, much as I would like there to be. Whose fundamentals would this legal system derive from? And of what fundamentals do you speak? That all life is precious? That there are certain rights inherent in being human? Discuss.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • samuel walker,

    fundamentalism:__A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism.__

    church and state. the two should never ever mix.

    Since Nov 2006 • 203 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    How about you define what your fundamentals are, Grant? There are, I have found, very few fundamental truths in life, much as I would like there to be. Whose fundamentals would this legal system derive from? And of what fundamentals do you speak? That all life is precious? That there are certain rights inherent in being human? Discuss.

    I agree! There are a very few fundamental truths. I think the ones we can agree on are:
    Do not murder.
    Do not commit adultery.
    Do not steal, and
    Do not commit perjury.

    fundamentalism:A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism. church and state. the two should never ever mix.

    I agree, again! We should be intolerant of murderers, adulterers, thieves and liars. And the state should not be allowed to interfere with that intolerance. Just as the church should not be able to interfere with the correct administration of justice.

    Wow! That was refreshing! Thanks :)

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • Julie Fairey,

    Wow, I must have really mis-read David's post because I didn't think it was about abortion at all. Stupid me commenting about death and organ donation!

    Puketapapa Mt Roskill, AK… • Since Dec 2007 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    As distasteful and deceitful as I find adultery, I'm not entirely sure it should be illegal.

    I find murder immoral and deserving of illegality equally.

    I have no problem calling adultery immoral... but illegal?

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    Of course adultery should be illegal!

    Why would it not be other than to cater for those who want to do it?

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • Susan Snowdon,

    And adulterers who lie about it, double bad! Might even include stealing - 'someone else's spouse'. The punishment doesn't bear thinking about, although perhaps donation of bodily organs might come into it. (Refer to China and certain middle east states.) And that nicely wraps up this thread...

    Since Mar 2008 • 110 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    Uh. OK, that was unnecessarily surreal. Susan, did you have a point?

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • Julie Fairey,

    @ Susan *applause*

    Puketapapa Mt Roskill, AK… • Since Dec 2007 • 234 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Do not murder.
    Do not commit adultery.
    Do not steal, and
    Do not commit perjury.

    Hmm. Nope, we only agree on one of those. How messy. Where to now?

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Grant Dexter,

    I'm sorry, but if you cannot find it in yourself to agree that there is nothing wrong with all four of those statements then there is no room left for discussion elsewhere.

    Taipei, Taiwan • Since Mar 2007 • 256 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I'm sorry, but if you cannot find it in yourself to agree that there is nothing wrong with all four of those statements then there is no room left for discussion elsewhere.

    Oh thank God.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

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