Here’s a story from Britain to brighten one’s celebrations: Medics Caught on Tape Allegedly Decided Disabled Man Not Worth Saving.

Barry Baker, 59, who lived alone, dialed 911 saying that he thought he was having a heart attack. An ambulance was sent to his house while a controller kept him talking on the line.

By the time the ambulance arrived at the house in Patcham, Brighton, Baker had collapsed, but the telephone line was still open and was being recorded.

It is alleged that staff in the control center heard the two medics making disparaging comments about the state of the house.

A police source, who asked not to be named, said that the medics were then heard discussing Baker and saying “words to the effect that he was not worth saving.”

The source said that the two men were allegedly first heard commenting on the untidy state of the house and then saying that it was not worth bothering to resuscitate Baker.

They are said to have discussed what to tell ambulance control and decided to say that Baker was already dead when they got there.

So, before calling that ambulance, make certain that your house or apartment is in a reasonably tidy and clean state, and be sure that your overall level of fitness is up to snuff so that the EMTs consider you worth the trouble to rescue. After all, you don’t think the mere fact of your humanness qualifies you for life-saving care, do you? What are you — some kind of fundamentalist Neanderthal hold-out?

People will say, oh, this is an exceptional case, two bad apples, this kind of thing can’t happen often. On the contrary, I think that these are the inevitable wages of the culture of death that is creeping its way across so many societies — in particular Western societies. It is a sign of the brave new normality.

…

With that: It is customary to hope for good things for the new year, and hope is never a bad thing. But I shall break with convention and good form, tilt my Jeane Dixon crystal ball, and say this: If you think 2008 was bad, hold onto your hat. 2009 is going to be much, much worse, for many, many more people. So sez RWB. Come back in a year and let’s compare notes. Cheers!

...................
Share this!

Posts which might be related to this one based on a mysterious algorithm:

• Saving Grace, again
• Grace
• The agony on Twitter (after Scott Brown wins in Massachusetts)