City
Morning Brew: July 30th, 2008
Photo: "summer fun" by angiemckaig, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
Your Toronto morning news roundup for Wednesday July 30th, 2008:
A shortage of donor organs, which results in long wait times and, presumably, some potentially avoidable deaths, has renewed debate about how Ontario should deal with the growing problem. Should Ontarians by default be organ donors upon death, but have the option to opt out before dying (rather than by default being non-donors, and having to opt in before death)?
In addition to over 3000 bicycles recovered in the increasingly bizarre Igor Kenk alleged bike theft crackdown, a box containing 3kg of wacky tabacky was seized on Monday. So far there's no word on whether or not the marijuana was stolen from fellow Torontonians. Unlike with the bikes, police won't be accepting photos of you with your weed as proof of ownership.
Yesterday afternoon, a large, internally decaying oak tree suddenly fell on a playground in High Park, narrowly missing several playing children. One child an one adult were injured in the incident, which provided CityNews with a headline you just have to click on. ZOMFGWTF! "They could be dead right now!"
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A glass bottling plant in Toronto will be shutting down and laying off some 430 workers. Amongst the reasons cited for the closure are allegations that the LCBO is abusing its government monopoly powers to too aggressively push alternative packaging (which may or may not actually be more environmentally sound). The LCBO denies the accusation, adding that alternatively packaged products account for less than 5% of sales.
Grocery store chain Loblaw has cut prices on over 1000 items in an attempt to lure back customers that have been choosing to shop at buying-power giants like Walmart. This counter-intuitive news comes shortly after the company announced major restructuring and higher overall costs due to increases in fuel costs. Hopefully the 1000 items they slashed prices on are staples, and not obscure items like canned water chestnuts, head cheese, and frozen squid.
One of the judges on the CBC show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? was arrested and charged with assault and forcible confinement this past weekend, but police waited until after the final episode aired before releasing the juicy details (which include his alleged victim climbing down from the fourth floor balcony to the one below to escape).
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Do they have a way to test for internal rot?
That would have been a great act to see on stage!
Absolutely not. Although this is an extremely noble cause, I don't feel like the state should automatically have control over the bodies of it's citizens. We do not want the government to interfere with women's bodies in cases of abortion, we shouldn't want them to interfere with anyone's bodies (dead or alive).
I was curious about why Simon wasn't on the show the other night... errmmm... wait I don't watch <i>Maria</i>. Seriously....
Awh crap - nevermind, John Barrowman is too good NOT to watch... I'm soooo confused right now.
"WHATS NEWXT ARE THE SOCIALISTS GOING TO GROW BODIES TO hARVEST ORGANS?!?!?!"
Anyways, i believe in this bill, try seeing some little boy that needs a new liver and tell me this bill should blocked.
For the record, I am a registered donor, but I prefer to having to declare that rather than it be assumed.
If you're not wiling to donate, you shouldn't receive.
Your silly superstitious or religious beliefs are not a valid reason to let your fellow people die.
Not long after that, a Norway Maple in behind the houses had a branch crash down on a person's VW convertible!
In some instances it's religious beliefs that prevent people from getting organ transplants or even simple blood transfusions - should the state interfere and force treatment on them too?
This proposal is a very slippery slope. If the state can interfere at this step, why not in other areas? I think this needs to be done by individuals taking initiative. If the government wants more people to join the ranks of donors then perhaps they should spend money on a campaign to educate people, to make a case for organ donation besides using pictures of dying kids. Personally, I like the way Canadian Blood Services has been running their campaign (although, blood is so much easier to give, the point should be made - you're dead, what do you need those for?).
For the record - I'm not an organ donor. Reason: I've never really thought much about dying young and in unfortunate circumstances, so I figured I'd never have a need to give up my organs. I've also figured I wouldn't be needing anyone else's since I'm in good health. Not great reasons, but I'm sure it's what many people think (rather than "silly superstitions").
I think if you feel that strongly about not donating your organs, it shouldn't be a problem for you to go the distance to opt out of donating.
Are families allowed to give consent to donate a passed loved one's organs? I'm not sure... maybe this could be a small step in the direction, although I know it would bring a truckload of problems with it. It could mean at least SOME perfectly fine organs can be used, and aren't put to waste just because of someone's ignorance.
I would make it a mandatory yes/no question that is asked upon renewal of the drivers license, with no "non response default". I am also concerned about the State assuming control of my body by default upon my death.
(organ donor)
What about all of the people who don't get driver's licenses... and all of the people who are too young to get a license...
I'm guessing that younger donors like me are highly prized, since their organs are more likely to be healthy and intact upon (premature) death.
If I do die under unfortunate circumstances, I'd hate to think I denied someone a decade or more of life because I thought I was invincible.
You can download a form online (and mail it in), and print out a paper card to keep on your person. If you can use a browser and address an envelope, you can register to donate.
http://www.giftoflife.on.ca/
(Note, the organ donation form on the Gift of Life site you can actually complete to opt OUT of donation, if you're that vehement about it, since it's currently still voluntary.)
I like this.
My issue is not if you choose to not donate but lots of people don't seem to have turned their mind to it. And I don't know if your family can choose for you afterwards.
(donor)
Make it a mandatory question when they renew their health card.
I'm uneasy with seeking retribution, i.e. no organs if they need them, against those who choose, for whatever personal reason, not to donate. People should have freedom of conscious to make that decision for themselves, without repurcussion.
The saddest thing is that this is exactly what plagues the organ donation system -- this self-imposed sense of helplessness. If it's not laid out on a platter for you, it's impossible. In most cases, I'd agree with you; things should be better. But for this case of life or death, it's already ridiculously easy. I mean, considering the power I have by doing this -- I could save a LIFE -- I should be fighting dragons and solving fiendish puzzles set by a murderous sphinx to get to sign my donor card.
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That would be both unconscionable and impossible to manage in a life-threatening catastrophe. Imagine another Bhopal or chemical explosion or serious fire.
It'd never work in such situations.
I find the glass company accusations mildly amusing. In another, Toronto Star article the representative accuses the LCBO of destroying the environment with Tetra Paks and Plastic (if you read the article above, you'll see why that's amusing. Additionally, until a year ago they also produced plastic bottles, but sold that section of their company). He also claims that glass is the perfect container because of it being 100% recyclable.
I have a question for him. How much of your bottles are made from post consumer glass? Less than 10%? 0%?
The sad truth is that while glass is easily recycled, it never or rarely gets turned back into bottles. When the glass you put in your recycling bin makes its long journey into new glass, chances are it'll end up broken. That glass mixes with other glass of different colours and has now become almost useless. The contaminated glass is now of no use for things like bottling, where manufacturers like Owens Illinois demand their glass to be crystal clear.
The only recycled glass that ends up in bottles tends to be stuff from commercial or internal sources when they can assure that the glass isn't contaminated. ie, scrap and broken glass from their own manufacturing process.
The idea that glass is environmentally friendly is laughable.
Yeah, I wish glass was more easily recycled back into bottles - however, I do like what some manufacturers are doing with it to make countertops with it. It's kind of neat (eventually it will have to be disposed of somehow, but not for a while).
Wikipedia lists other uses for recyclable glass other than bottles - so the problem with different colours in the mix may not be as troublesome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_recycling#Secondary_uses_for_recycled_glass