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Hunting Down My Son's Killer

matt.might.net

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Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#231

Post by mcguire »

fluidcruft wrote: post #92
waffle_ss wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rationally, there is no point in a lot of things (up to and including just sitting idle as a respiring organism). Do you get your sustenance from an IV bag of the basic chemicals your body needs to survive, or do you eat food that you enjoy the taste of? Do you cover yourself with a burlap sap, or do you wear clothing of a design you prefer? Do you get to work on your own locomotive power (walk, ride bicycle) or use…

Apparently it's all been downhill since we were algae.

I don't know about that, but I'm beginning to suspect the whole central nervous system idea may have been misguided.

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#232

Post by gcheong »

run4yourlives wrote: post #228
gcheong wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, exactly - and where did this idea that they should have kids come from? What I'm saying is that people need a balanced perspective when deciding and all too often it is the "everyone should have kids" voice that is only heard and anyone that states anything to the contrary is summarily dismissed or berated. That is changing, albeit slowly but I will also be the first to say that at the end of the day if decide y…

I'm not sure where you are hearing the "everyone should have kids" refrain in 2012. Perhaps this is from your parents or friends? I'd submit too that perhaps a lot of it is self imposed, as witnessed by your comments in this thread that immediately assumed more than one person was of the opinion that we are somehow insinuating you are a lesser person from not having kids. Outside of your own family, there's not a hec…

I'm not talking about me,I'm asking where the people you know that regret having kids got the idea that they should have kids. It's the default stance in most societies - yes even in 2012. I have heard it from a lot of people and strangely enough I hear it on HN every time someone says they don't want kids or think they aren't worth having. Inevitably when someone says that there are those who clamor in and have to say that having kids is the best thing in the world. My question to you is why did you feel such a strong need to respond? You didn't have to respond but you did - why?

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#233

Post by lemming »

jasonlotito wrote: post #142
runjake wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And speaking statistically, research shows that parents are no more happy than are those who are not parents. [citation needed] Also, since we're being rational and all, define happiness. Contrast it with "fulfillment".

This is answered here: http://news.ycombinator.org/item?id=4038777 Short version: Basically, the evidence is to the contrary. Parents are "more happy."

Actually, it's not so cut and dried. I don't have a formal reference to hand, but this is discussed in the last chapter of Stumbling on Happiness - I can dig up the reference if required. Basically, what seems to happen is that having kids leads to many really extreme experiences - first steps, first words, as well as the sort of terrible experiences talked about in this article. We tend to remember these extreme experiences, particularly the good ones, much more than washing nappies every day, and that leads people to report a level of happiness that isn't borne out if you get them to record how happy they are at random times on random days where they're much more likely to be washing nappies.

None of which really matters, of course. If you want kids you'll probably love having them, and if you don't you'll probably be happier without them.

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#234

Post by [deleted] »

postfuturist wrote: post #54

It pays to become an expert in your own (or your family members') medical conditions, because you'll quickly become more of an expert than 99% of the doctors you will rely on for care. It helps when they all ask the same dumb questions, which they will do. If your condition is mildly rare, you'll notice when you see a new doctor, that their knowledge will be limited to what you found out in the first hour of internet…

[deleted]

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#235

Post by mcguire »

mattmight wrote: post #202
rickyconnolly wrote: post #151

I have a question for Matt, if you are still here. How did you get in touch with Genzyme? What do they have to gain by helping you? Developing a recombinant therapeutic drug is an exceedingly expensive and technically-difficult undertaking. Why are they developing a treatment for a condition for which the potential market size is one single patient?

We're contacting Genzyme via friends of friends. Your question is valid. I wouldn't expect Genzyme to do much unless there's profit (or at least little cost) involved. Fortunately, Genzyme might not need to do much, since the enzyme is already in production, but for laboratory rather than human use. I'll admit I don't know much more will be required to take what they injected into mice to the point where we can injec…

There's always the excellent PR opportunity.

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#236

Post by gcheong »

kami8845 wrote: post #126
aphyr wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. The definition of life is fuzzy at best. Most of these definitions operate on populations, not individuals. 2. Population fitness can be optimized by many activities: food gathering, art, research, supporting peers, etc. 3. Meaning is a mental construct. Arguing over the absolute "point" of life is pointless, because the epiphenomena of "value" is a chemical cascade in our brains and can be coupled to almost anyth…

By maratd's logic anything you have ever done or ever will do is completely pointless. You might as well kill yourself.

I find it easier to live knowing my life is pointless. Takes the pressure off :)

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#237

Post by mcguire »

shpoonj wrote: post #206
shpoonj wrote: post #141

So there was a paternity test, right? I'm assuming there was and it just wasn't mentioned in the write up. The author states with authority that he is the father, but doesn't mention the tests confirming it whereas every other finding is linked to the tests involved. Please don't tell me, in an article praising science, that this was left to faith or trust or whatever.

Downvoted for asking for evidence of claims... Claims that the author admits many of the professionals he trusted enough to ask for guidance also raised. You've gone soft, HN.

"Downvoted for asking for evidence of claims"

How about downvoted for not reading the article?

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#238

Post by lostlogin »

cchurch wrote: post #145
engtech wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Whow, are you arrogant. Can you even contemplate somebody who doesn't want to have children?" Can you contemplate that if you are having heterosexual/breeder sex, you may have children even if you never planned to?

Breeder sex? Who talks like this?

A gay friend had a house warming party years ago and my wife and I turned up. We were the only straight people there out of probably 50 guests and I heard someone say "breeders" as we arrived. It took a second to get it and It didn't feel good. I felt more alien than the numerous times we have been overseas and not been able to speak the local language. And when I consider that the people there would all have had comments made against them at some point I had a slight inkling what life could have been like.

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#239

Post by WalterBright »

its_so_on wrote: post #149
postfuturist wrote: post #54

It pays to become an expert in your own (or your family members') medical conditions, because you'll quickly become more of an expert than 99% of the doctors you will rely on for care. It helps when they all ask the same dumb questions, which they will do. If your condition is mildly rare, you'll notice when you see a new doctor, that their knowledge will be limited to what you found out in the first hour of internet…

I don't like your tone. I have no horse in the race and am not a doctor, but doctors aren't Gods. They learn certain foundational things (names of bones and muscles; organic chemistry) then they learn thing related to the practice that doesn't necessarily rely on any of that stuff. (Diseases; drugs) For diseases, you should try reading through the Merck manual (available online). Everything from gynecology, oncology,…

I think an analogy would be with the 9-11 "truthers" who trot out various facts and conclude that the towers were brought down by demolition charges rather than the plane strike.

Their facts are not wrong, they are just misapplied and someone with a more general understanding of physics knows that.

One of the facts quoted is that jet fuel doesn't burn hot enough to melt steel. By itself, that is true. But the temperature at which jet fuel burns varies depending on all sorts of conditions, and the standard lab setup is not at all what the towers were. For example, fuel in a jet engine certainly burns hot enough to melt steel, it's the limiting factor in jet engine design.

Re: Hunting Down My Son's Killer

#240

Post by lostlogin »

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #30
sneak wrote: post #26

Why on Earth would you conceive another child with the risks involved here? There are thousands of unwanted children that would benefit from having such a thoughtful and dedicated set of parents. Is it pure egocentrism that keeps high-risk parents from adopting?

>Is it pure egocentrism that keeps high-risk parents from adopting? If it's not, I'd love to know what it is. Aww, downvotes from selfish people. Love doesn't require blood.

Cost, complexity, difficulty, perceives trouble bonding, how?, risks, issues with the child's family. There are some.
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