EUTHANASIA – Right or Wrong?

Euthanasia or mercy killing has been the topic of heated debate since quite long. Is it right or not? Should be legalized? These and many other questions have been asked for long now, and their answers are still nowhere in sight. Yes, a few countries have legalized mercy killing, but the issue is too tricky to end there.
For starters, let us assume that it is legalized. Then, what is the guarantee that doctors would really be able to use their discretion in taking the decision of taking the extreme step in the case of a real bad case? Can it be assured that they would not come under the pressure of patients who want to ‘dignified’ in death and not be a liability to their relatives?
A few months back, a lady caught the nation’s attention when she went to the courts to get the right to death for her son Venkatesh, who had few days of life left, so that he could donate his organs in order to make his life useful to some others. The patient in question too was seen requesting the judge to grant him his plea. But his wish remained unfulfilled, since India is still nowhere near formulating any rules for mercy killing.
Today, the world is divided regarding the case of Terri Schiavo, who has been brain dead for 15 years now. For the last 7 years, her husband Michael Schiavo has been trying to achieve the right to death for her. His plea – she would not have wanted to live in such a state, so grant her her wish. On the other hand, her parents have strongly opposed it, saying Terri has as much right to live as any other human.
Why exactly would Terri have not wanted to live? Because she was a liability to all? That she wasn’t of any ‘use’ to anybody? Is that all the value of life today? Is a life a life only if it is of use to a few people around it? What about the rights of a living person? Then again, a person in a bad state asking to be ‘relieved’ of life might be considered a coward. But what of cases like Terri’s, where the patient has been in a vegetative state for years?
Michael Schiavo’s plea has been granted and Terri has been off nutrition systems for a few days now. In the words of her devastated parents, Terri has reached a ‘point of no return’. Her father has appealed again today for her life, but chances of victory are slim.
Terri and Venkatesh may be forgotten soon but not the issue of Euthanasia. The debate will go on….

The Days are Going By.........

The days just seem to be flying by now. There is less than a fortnight left for college to end and by the 11th of May, the exams will be done with. It seems just yesterday that I joined college, and now, it is that time again, when you think – what next?
I had received a lot of brickbats for “’Bunk’ers in the 8th sem”, especially from Karthik who felt that not a single day of college in the last sem ought to be missed. He told me that I would regret it someday. I really don’t know…….nowadays, we don’t even need to bunk, ‘coz there are no classes. The last-few-days bug seems to have bitten our lecturers also. [: -)]
Project presentation went of fine yesterday, so that is also over. Oh God!! That means, the work in this sem is almost over. [: - (]
Coming back to –what next? – that is a question plaguing most of us here. Since placements don’t seem to be happening, the uncertainty is so much more. Yesterday, I filled up my forms for an MBA, something I’ve dreamt of for long. I really wish I get to do an MBA. But I will have to be extremely lucky for that to happen!!
For now, I am trying to live life to its fullest. Enjoying, working hard, everything together. And I’m loving it!

Jassi Jaissi........Koi Hai?

Miss Jasmeet Walia - the girl who burst onto the Telly screen around 2 years back and caught the imagination of the Indian population, is soon going to change. Jassi, of the large specs, lohe ki smile (meaning braces) and funny fringe became a trendsetter with gorgeous models going in for the 'fringe' hairstyle. She epitomized the strong Indian woman by making a journey from the post of secretary in Gulmohur fashion house to the post of it's CEO, solely by virtue of hard work and brains.
But with its TRPs steadily going down and Indian Idol usurping the No.1 slot, the show decided to do something that probably was in the offing for long - give Jassi a MAKEOVER!
Jassi and me have had a connection since the time the show came on air. People around me have always maintained that I look like her [complimentary? : (( ]. Yeah, we do look alike, same lankiness, face cut, specs..GOD! How I hated all of those people who compared me with her [;-)].
As the curtain rose on her new hairstyle last Thursday, I waited with bated breath to see the stage 1 of her transformation. With her hair cut in elegant long steps, she looked gorgeous, in spite of the braces and the specs still being there. I was just telling mum how even my hair is cut in steps when dad’s mobile beeped. It was Rithin, one of the earliest to say I looked like Jassi. His message -
‘Sri, Jassi is looking like you today!!’
Thanks Rithin, I hope you mean it! And so, there is sill no end to the comparisons in sight [;-)].

'Bunk'ers in the 8th sem!

So we found out a way to get round the problem of boredom in class – JUST DON’T SIT IN CLASS!! Yeah! The number of hours that I’ve bunked in this sem so far should be much greater than the number of hours I cut in all the other 7 semesters put together!! As of now, I’m none the worse for it, ‘coz there is not much happening in class anyway!
That’s one of the benefits of having a group in college. There are people with you who are ready to go along with you and also, you aren’t alone when [or if ;-)] you have to face the music!
Thus my final sem is becoming synonymous with frequent trips to MRA (KVs doesn’t have much veg/egg stuff!) or plain coming home early and snoozing during noon!! Anyway, the fact that we’re having class tests regularly hasn’t dampened our ‘cutting’ spirit a bit!
Friday afternoon saw us at Liberty for the matinee show of ‘Udayananu Tharam’*. Cool movie man!! I would really have regretted it if I had stuck to my earlier decision of not seeing it. But ‘Black’ has not yet made it to the theatres either here or at Kannur. I wonder why we are being deprived of this great movie!

* means ‘Udayan is the star’ in Malayalam.

It's A Dreary Life.....Uh Oh!!

College is so boring now!! It is bad that the last few days (21 working days left, to be exact!) in college are so dull. Hour after hour, lecturer after lecturer comes in and chants some stuff (?) and leaves. As Jaisha rightly said today, one only remembers coming to college, lunch break and leaving the college!
I believe last sems are supposed to be good fun, all masti, fests and final years’ days. But nothing of the sort here. Classes (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) are sooo.. yaawn!, you cannot but come home and just crash on the bed, as if it were 12 am and you’ve been working hard till a minute before!! My feeling can be compared to that of a mountaineer, climbing a steep ascent with a knapsack weighing 5 kg slung on his shoulder! [:(( ]
It is sad that whenever I’ll think of my 8th sem, I’ll think of sleepy classes and monotonous lectures. But then, there are 21 days left. Just hope that college livens up a bit!