Free Republic

The current debate about so-called partial birth abortion has produced some strange and unfortunate consequences. Among the most disheartening is the widespread impression that the pro-choice movement does not regard abortion as a serious matter, and that women seeking to terminate a pregnancy require a condescending reminder from Congress to understand that the fetus they are carrying is a potential life. Now that the debate has moved from Congress to the courts, the public could benefit from a fuller and franker discussion about abortion policy. The profound nature of the issue must be acknowledged. But it must also be made...

The failure of footballer of George Best to refrain from drinking alcohol despite a life-saving liver transplant just 12 months ago has prompted questions about the merits of offering transplant surgery to alcoholics. Some say it is a waste of a precious and scarce resource, but others say there is no reason why people suffering from such a debilitating disease should be discriminated against. The George Best case may give the impression that people suffering from alcoholism take their place in the transplant queue like any other person with severe liver disease. In fact, this is not the case....

A Richmond doctor who failed to ensure a middle-aged woman had her unborn baby tested for genetic abnormalities has been orderd to pay the child's parents $300,000. The money is to help pay for the lifelong care of five-year-old Sherry Fung -- who was born with Down syndrome, a genetic abnormality more likely to affect the children of older mothers. In a written judgment released this week, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Catliff found Dr. Ken Kan liable in a claim of medical negligence and noted Sherry Fung will never exceed the mental age of eight to 11 years old....

The Internet auction site eBay, a favorite on-line haunt of memorabilia collectors and bargain hunters alike, is also a popular destination for United Space Alliance officials responsible for tracking down hard-to-find parts needed to keep the space shuttle in business. Designed and built in the 1970s, the U.S. space shuttle fleet relies on a host of diagnostic and ground support equip-ment powered by computer components that are no longer manufactured. NASA plans to spend about $1.5 billion over the next five years upgrading its space shuttle fleet for improved safety and operations. While most of that money is targeted toward...