Hi Bo<br>Sorry to have remained unresponsive. I
enjoyed reading and thinking about your message. I have
also been reading your personal philosophical notes...
but didn't have anything meaningful to communicate
back, so remained dumb (my specialty). You were right
about my being considered outward going by many - a
real socialite in the old days - but dont worry about
your being an old fogie, it's what's inside that
counts!<br>Although I don't listen to the news much, your note about
euthanasia meant I actually read the papers, I was
interested in the 'kill pill' options being considered here
in the Netherlands. I think the way to use such an
'end it all' option is still rather vague, and only
intended for the aged, who are in severe pain, but it
certainly opens up a can of wriggling worm-like ideas to
wrestle with. Who can decide who is allowed to kill
themselves? Like with hanging, wont there always be
mistakes?<br> Won't 'god'(or beauty or quality or ultimate
truth) be angry at humans for defying the gift of
life?<br>This new law, or by-law, fits with NL 'laissez faire'
approach generally. Its not really being openminded, but
allowing others to choose for themselves whether to smoke
dope, go to a whore, etc. (Infact these are not
actually legal practises here, but are 'tolerated' within
strict limits). Despite some international cliche
hurling, the dutch are not over-the-top, law stretching
folk, but very, very democratic... to the point where
most are dully bourgeois (the opposite to openminded
in my opinion!)<br>So they have achieved a high
level of social quality in their country, and intend to
be as fair to all as possible. SO it makes sense
that they would consider the personal wishes of
severly ill people<br>I'm off the clean off some of the
muck I collected helping friends on their 'platbodem'
shiptoday, and motorbiking in the rain on muddy roads... I
look forward to reading your mail in more
detail.<br>Sara