Even panhandlers need copy editors

As an attorney who drafts numerous intricate legal documents, I pay close attention to word choices and usage.

And now, with the President's stimulus package getting so much attention, the New York Times looked at how even the signs that city panhandlers hold can reflect the current state of the economy. In place of a sign simply stating, "Homeless. Please help." the writer prepared new signs saying, "Please Support Pres. Obama’s Stimulus Plan, and begin right here … at the bottom … Thank you."

Shortly after the new signs were unveiled, it was too soon to determine the full effectiveness of the new wording, but at least a couple panhandlers had received more contributions.

(Photo by Brennan Cavanaugh.)

How easy is it to die green?

A recent column on Slate.com examined the various environmental aspects of the funeral industry and burials. Options, like traditional embalming and burial, cremation, and donation of one's body to science, are discussed in environmental and "carbon footprint" terms. For example,

A private 2007 study commissioned by an Australian cemetery found that the average cremation at that facility produced roughly four times as much CO2 equivalent as a burial. However, when the long-term fossil fuel costs of lawn-mowing and general grounds upkeep were factored in, burials had a 10 percent greater environmental footprint.

In case you are curious (I knew you were), Wisconsin statutes include an entire chapter on disposition of human remains.

If all the environmental burial discussion seems like old news, the concept has indeed been around for a few years. Without endorsing a particular approach, I offer this example--a link to the Green Burial Council, which describes itself as follows:

Since 2005, the Green Burial Council has been working to make burial sustainable for the planet, meaningful for the families, and economically viable for the provider. And in that short period of time, we've emerged as the "gold standard" among consumers, land trusts, park service agencies as well the cemetery/funeral profession.

(Photo by lincoln_loggers; used by permission.)

The difference "-ly" makes

In my law school elder law class, we discussed how being an "elder" is often honored and admirable, but "elderly" is nearly a derogatory term.

Jane Gross's New York Times blog, the New Old Age, includes this discussion about terms often used for elders in our society.

The International Longevity Center in New York City and the Aging Services of California have compiled a stylebook "to guide media professionals through the minefield of politically correct and politically incorrect ways of identifying and portraying the elderly."

For example,

[In addition to sparing use of "elderly," and avoiding "senior citizen" and "golden years,"] “feisty,” “spry,” “feeble,” “eccentric,” “senile” and “grandmotherly” are also unwelcome terms, patronizing and demeaning, as is calling someone “80 years young.”

The "Wollongong Senior Citizens Centre" photo is just for kicks. Maybe it should be reworded, "Older Adults Centre"?

(Photo by vanessapr; used by permission.)

Some introspection for assisted reproduction professionals

More on the ethics, family expectations, and financial costs of assisted reproduction in the aftermath of "the octuplets."

The New York Times recently ran this piece on the unfolding questions around assisted reproduction. Here's an excerpt:

[U]nlike some other countries, the United States has no laws to enforce those guidelines [of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a surveillance system that collects data on fertility clinics, but reporting is voluntary and there are no government sanctions for not reporting.

As a result, experts say many doctors are still implanting too many embryos to increase the chance of pregnancy. Only 11 percent of in vitro procedures in the United States involve single embryos, according to 2006 data from the C.D.C.

But the 2008 guidelines say that in many cases, it is healthier to implant only one embryo, even if it means the process has to be repeated, because of the risk of multiple births. In the case of Ms. Suleman, the California Medical Board said it was investigating her fertility doctor, Michael M. Kamrava, to determine whether accepted standards of medical practice had been violated. In an interview with NBC News, Ms. Suleman, 33, said that Dr. Kamrava had implanted six embryos, and that two of them had divided into twins, resulting in eight babies.

Like I've said before, sometimes the laws or regulations for new areas of life have a hard time keeping up. In this area, it's not even in the rear-view mirror.

(Photo by Colin Gregory Palmer; used by permission.)

Birth of octuplets causes ethical stir

By now, most people have heard about the 33-year-old California woman who gave birth to octuplets. The astonishing thing is that she conceived the babies by having the embryos implanted. In addition, she already has six other children.

In assisted reproduction circles, HUGE ethical questions are swirling. Just for starters, as the Washington Post reports,

. . . [T]he medical community, particularly fertility doctors, [says] it goes against the mission of their work: to minimize high-risk, multiple-birth pregnancy and safely provide a woman with a single healthy baby. It is also raising questions about the lax regulations covering doctors and clinics that provide such services.

The reality is that assisted reproduction is governed more by guidelines than by strict regulation.

"Ensuing God" is my blog for religion in America

As a spot for occasional comments on religion and law in America, especially the history, practice and future of Christianity and its involvement in society, I blog at "Ensuing God" (ensuinggod.blogspot.com).

Or course you can expect news and comments about relevant U. S. Supreme Court cases, politics and religion, and the topics of public discourse and spirituality.

And, not all aspects of religion are serious (God has a sense of humor after all), so watch for lighter entries too.

(Photo used by permission of image*after.)

"Happy Obama Day"--January 20

Last week after the inauguration of President Obama, I heard someone greet a friend on the street, "Happy Obama Day!" What a way to begin a fresh start.

For me, the historic inauguration was summed up with this story from NPR's Morning Edition about a 105-year-old woman who was on the national Mall for the event. Ella Mae Johnson said, "We were all there; we were there waiting. It didn't matter what my color was. It didn't matter what your color was. And I could not ask for anything better."

Also on the topic of President Obama, check out this story from Smithsonian magazine about the graphic artist, Shepard Fairey, who created the now iconic images of Barack Obama.

An angle on Chinese New Year in America

Happy Year of the Ox!

A recent L. A. Times story tells of families with adopted children from Asia celebrating the New Year:

For the Larsons and thousands of U.S. families who have adopted children from Asia, the Lunar New Year is a moment to help their children reconnect with their homeland and for parents to discover a culture that would otherwise be foreign to them. Lunar New Year, which occurs today, is regarded as the most important cultural holiday among Chinese, Vietnamese and some Koreans.

(Photo by dbking; used by permission.)

Reasons for paying attention to the healthcare system

If you don't have your own personal reasons for considering the immediate and long-term concerns of the American healthcare system, consider these from an interview in the New York Times. A notable and accomplished physician discusses the current medical culture, the President's proposals for change, and aspects of our healthcare that all of us should think about. A prominent topic of the interview is the discussion of advance directives for medical treatment at the end of life.

If you missed the Dallas Morning News series on end of life issues, check out my post on it here.

(Photo by Erica Marshall; used by permission.)

Taking the battle against cancer to a new front

Wired magazine recently offered this interesting piece on how the efforts spent on the usual approach to cancer treatment and research--cure--may be better spent on an often secondary approach--early detection.

The article explores the elusiveness of successful prevention and early detection, in the face of this stark statistic: "If we find cancer early, 90 percent survive, if we find cancer late, 10 percent survive."

As detection and treatments advance, many cancer patients and their families share stories of strength and commitment. For example, see the L. A. Times column by Al Martinez, who shares the story of his adult daughter Cindy:

I'm putting her name in print today so that you can tell me stories of your own fight against cancer; so you can help our family find the strength and courage to defeat the enemy within. We're all family in a way, you and I and Cinelli and Cindy and the rest. We share a mutual village. Cindy was handed to me a long time ago and occupies a special place in my life and in my heart, and I'm not about to hand her back.

(Photo by Mataparda; used by permission.)