Cod to Queen’s Bishop Fox August 12, 2003January 22, 2017 COD (Again?) Dan Flikkema: ‘David’s seal logic is completely wrong. First of all you won’t get a ‘seal population explosion’ [if you stop clubbing them for fur coats]. The seal population – just like the population of any predator, will rise and fall with the available food supply. The seal’s consumption certainly will slow down as the cod supply goes down because the cod will be harder to find and catch. Until seals start building big ships and huge nets to catch cod, only humans (and some parasites probably) will have the ability to hunt or fish something to anywhere near extinction. Please note that I have no strong feelings either way about a person wearing a fur coat; but their reasoning is an affront to me if they think they are doing it to protect the supply of cod.’ Jeff: ‘You ask, ‘How did the cod ever survive before there were humans in significant numbers to club the seals for fur coats?’ Answer: The seal population has a dramatic decrease when the cod population gets too small. Then the cod population grows again. It’s the natural free market, disrupted by the economic free market consumers who pay gross amounts to eat endangered cod even when their population gets really small.’ John Seiffer: ‘David Lloyd-Jones said: ‘The cod are the biggest and best example around of simple economics at work.’ And therein lies the problem. Economics is not simple. Ecosystems are not simple. Health care, education, and wars against terrorism are not simple. Yet people want to believe these things are simple and that the solutions are simple. So they end up following people who are good at simplifying rather than ones who are good at solutions. That’s a simple <grin> explanation for the success of everything from full-service stock brokers to the Republican party.’ BISHOPS (Again?) Gloria: ‘First of all, let me preface this by saying that I am neither an Episcopalian, nor do I practice any religion. However, I have been following the news, and like everyone, have an opinion on the appointment of Gene Robinson as bishop of NH. For me, the true issue behind his confirmation would be the fact that he is divorced. Marriage is a holy sacrament, according to the rule book these guys use. The breakup of a holy sacrament would be argument enough to disqualify any person from holding a position of responsibility in the church. However, all the focus has been placed on the fact that Robinson is homosexual, because homosexuality is such a polarizing issue. So far, I haven’t heard anyone sharing my point of view, which is too bad, because it simply highlights the double-standard that exists in any organized religion.’ Bill Saunders: ‘I have a slightly different take on this story [about the bishop unsuccessfully trying to ascertain Peter’s dying wishes]. I hope I can convince you to ask your readers to draw up their advanced directives NOW, before they become ill. My mother has early-onset dementia, and is now in the advanced stages. BUT, with her advanced directives (durable power of attorney for finances, and health care power of attorney), I know what she wants, but most importantly have the legal authority to act on her wishes. Especially critical is health care power of attorney. A living will is a poor substitute, as it only addresses limited situations. I have been in many institutions during the course of mom’s illness. And I have seen many people subjected to treatment I seriously doubt they would have willfully chosen. But in the absence of an advanced directive for health care you will receive the most aggressive treatment by default, even when actively dying. It is such a comfort to me knowing that mom will never be rushed to the hospital for futile treatment, or placed on a feeding tube. Instead she will receive the comfort care, through Hospice, that she desires. The health care power of attorney is a relatively new concept, but you can usually find a standardized, model form for your particular state by searching online.’ WE DISTORT, YOU DECIDE™ (AND THEN WE SUE) NEW YORK (AP) Fox News Channel has sued liberal humorist Al Franken and the Penguin Group to stop them from using the phrase ”fair and balanced” in the title of his upcoming book. Filed Monday in Manhattan, the trademark infringement lawsuit seeks a court order forcing a Penguin publisher, Dutton books, to rename the book, ”Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.” It also asks for unspecified damages. Fox News registered ”Fair & Balanced” as a trademark in 1995, the suit says. ☞ What a joke. I was going to buy two. I’m upping my order.