Simon O’Connor: Why we didn’t back euthanasia bill
NZ Herald 10 August 2017Family First Comment: Superb commentary. Thank you Simon.Throughout this term of Parliament it has been my privilege to serve as chair of the health committee. Over the last two years, it has been my responsibility to lead the inquiry into assisted suicide and euthanasia as requested by a petition to Parliament.I led a group of dedicated MPs from a cross-section of parties in listening to what New Zealanders had to say about this difficult but important subject. I felt it was essential that I maintained an unbiased, even-handed process, though I made no secret of my own personal concerns about the topic.From the outset, I believed it was important for all those concerned to know my opinion so that they could watch me and ensure that I behaved in a fair manner towards all sides and I have appreciated the statements by MPs and by the petitioner acknowledging my professional impartiality.Over 21,000 New Zealanders wrote to the committee with their own thoughts on assisted dying and euthanasia. Of those, 944 people spoke to us in person over 108 hours of hearings. This inquiry was the largest ever undertaken by a New Zealand Parliament and was the largest, most public discussion ever held on this topic.Now that the investigation is complete, now that all of the submitters have been heard, and the report has been written by the health committee as a whole, I feel I can finally say a few words myself.Before entering Parliament I spent years studying ethics and philosophy at university, particularly around human rights. Some might see these fields as impractical but they prepared me well for this investigation. My extensive readings, lectures, and discussions formed the basis of my objection to assisted suicide.I entered this investigation willing to hear evidence from all sides and was prepared to consider new arguments if they were presented. Unfortunately, the arguments in favour of assisted suicide and euthanasia are not terribly well-reasoned. They rely heavily on emotional experiences and intense ideologies. These are not the best foundations for building laws, but they are important and they do deserve to be heard.READ MORE: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11900872
Loading… Former Celtic defender Efe Ambrose on Livingstone radar Saints boss Jim Goodwin said: “With the amount of injuries and everything that we have had over the last couple of months we felt it was an area that we needed to strengthen. “Akin is a player we have seen a number of times this season playing for Norwich U23s, but he trains with their first team. “He’s a good player. He’s still got a bit of developing to do but it’s a win-win for everyone. “We can give Akin senior football and he continues his development.” Famewo’s move is coming a time when former Super Eagles Celtic ace Efe Ambrose is on the verge of returning to the Scottish league. Read Also CAF awards: Eagles stars missing from Africa’s best XI Ambrose who played for Celtic winning several laurels in five seasons sojourn is being wooed back by Livingston. The former Kaduna and Bayelsa United defender, who made 51 appearances for the Super Eagles, became a free agent after a short stay with English Championship side Derby County last year. Promoted ContentEver Thought Of Sleeping Next To Celebs? This Guy Will Show YouBest Car Manufacturers In The WorldA Hurricane Can Be As Powerful As 10 Atomic Bombs7 Theories About The Death Of Our UniverseFantastic-Looking (and Probably Delicious) Bread Art7 Train Stations In The World You Wish To Stay At Longer6 Interesting Ways To Make Money With A DroneBrother Creates A Phenomenal Dress For His SisterIf Zodiac Signs Were Women: Amazing Artwork By Vivien SzaniszloBest & Worst Celebrity Endorsed Games Ever MadeCouples Who Celebrated Their Union In A Unique, Unforgettable Way7 Facts About Black Holes That Will Blow Your Mind Scottish Premier League side St Mirren is banking on Nigeria born Akin Famewo to help turn their fortune around in the season. St Mirren currently struggling within the relegation zone have signed Famewo from Norwich City subject to international clearance. The 21-year-old English centre-half, who can also play at left-back, joins the Saints from the English Premier League side until the end of the season. The former Luton and Grimsby defender revealed a discussion with ex-Saint Kenny McLean pointed him towards Paisley. He told St Mirren’s official website: “I’m very happy to be here, I’ve heard a lot good things about the club. “I didn’t know a great lot about Scottish football but I know Kenny McLean and he’s told me a bit about it. “I spoke to him about the move as he has links to the club and I was really keen to join. “The manager has been very welcoming and I’m looking forward to working with him. “I’m very excited as it’s a great opportunity in a great league.” FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 
An article I read in the Indy Star listed the 5 top juniors playing boys basketball in Indiana. These are their candidates for Mr. Basketball next year. Their first candidate is Joey Brunk of Southport. He is 6’10” and obviously plays center. The second individual is C.J. Walker of Indianapolis Tech. He is a 6′ guard and played on the state championship team of a couple years ago.The final 3 include Eron Gordon, a 6’2″ guard playing for Cathedral High School. If you remember, he caused quite a stir with his transfer from another Indianapolis school. Another 6’2″ guard is Kyle Guy of Lawrence Central. The final member of this top 5 group is Damien Jefferson of East Chicago Central High School. He is a 6’5″ swing man which means he could either play forward or guard depending on the situation.It will be interesting to see how these 5 finish out their senior seasons at their respective schools. Keep an eye on these 5 names.
The Memphis, Tenn., manufacturer and distributor gives $100 gift certificates to IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod and Mach-1 Sport Compact national rookies of the year, as well as to top regional Modified, Stock Car and Hobby Stock rookies. Driven certificates will be presented during the national banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office, and are redeemable through Driven Racing Oil only. To redeem the certification, call Driven Racing Oil at 866-611-1820. “Driven returns this year with a great program targeting first-year competitors once again across multiple divisions,” noted IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “They have a great product for IMCA racers available from a variety of retailers and we encourage racers to use their products.” A third-year IMCA sponsor, Driven manufactures a wide variety of premium oil and lubricants for motorsports customers plus street, marine and off-road usage.
Information about those products is available at the www.drivenracingoil.com website, by calling 866-611-1820 and on Facebook. MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Drivers earning IMCA national or rookie of the year awards this season see their efforts rewarded by Driven Racing Oil. 
West Florida Pitching Strikes out the Competition March 31, 2007 Box Score PENSACOLA, Fla. – Wet Florida (29-10, 5-3 GSC) swept the opening day double header against West Georgia (19-14, 1-4 GSC) with a 4-2 victory in night cap of Saturday at Pelican Park on the UWF campus. Similar to game one a UWF starting pitcher broke a career strike out record, as junior transfer Jon Sintes (Fort Walton Beach, Fla./ Pensacola Junior College) struck out nine. UWF pitchers combined to strike out 22 Wolves across two games.After only scoring one run in the first game of the double header West Georgia rebound with a two-run first inning. A.J. Renfrow opened the game with a single to left field. An Argonauts error placed two runners on base and both runners scored on a single to right field by Nolan Childers.The Argonauts responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning. Peter Antoske (Olmsted Township, Ohio/ St. Edwards HS) started the inning with a single and would advance to third following a Bo Williams single (Ocala, Fla./ Pensacola Junior College) down the right field line. Antoske would score the first Argonauts run of the game on a error by the Wolves catcher, when he over threw second base attempting to catch Williams stealing.West Florida would take the lead with a three-run fourth inning. Logan Hundley (Gulf Breeze, Fla./ Jefferson Davis CC) led off the inning with a single and advanced to third following a sacrifice bunt, then a single by Jacob Whisenhunt (Mobile, Ala./ L.B. Wallace CC). Hundley would score and Whisenhunt would advance to third on a single to right field by Daniel Jones (Wetumpka, Ala./ Gulf Coast CC). The next batter Jason Kohl (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/ Pensacola Junior College) doubled off the right field wall knocking in Whisenhunt from third and Jones attempted to score from first on the well hit ball, but was thrown out at the plate. The Argonauts kept the two-out rally alive when Antoske walked and Kyle DeBos (Panama City, Fla./ Gulf Coast CC) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Williams was able to draw a bases loaded walk to score the third run of the inning giving West Florida a 4-2 lead. Clay Wallace (Bay Minette, Ala./ Faulkner State CC) lined a shot to center field that would have scored at least two more runs in the inning if not for a great play by the Wolves center fielder Renfrow.Sintes, who gained control on the mound following the rough first inning, (6-3) pitched six strong in the win allowing two run, one earned, both in the first inning. He gave up only two hits, walked three, and struck out nine batters, his career best at West Florida.Phil Lawhorn (Virginia Beach, Va./ Pensacola Junior College) pitched a perfect seventh inning striking out two of the three batters he faced for his ninth save of the season.The final game of the three game series between West Georgia and West Florida is set for 1 p.m. tomorrow. Fans can follow all the action with a live broadcast on the stretch internet or with “Live Stats” at goargos.comPrint Friendly Version Share
(REUTERS) – Cricket Australia (CA) has proposed a new pay deal to players which offers large salary increases, particularly for women, but breaks with the 20-year model of a fixed percentage of revenue from the game going to the cricketers.The A$419M (£259.21M) offer is a 35 percent increase on the current five-year deal, which expires in July, and was laid out by CA chief James Sutherland yesterday.CA said the new deal meant international men’s players, taking into account bonuses, match fees and domestic Twenty20 wages, would be earning an average of $1.45M a year by the 2021-22 season.“We have placed the emphasis on increasing the guaranteed amount that the men will receive, rather than rely on any projected increase in revenue,” Sutherland said.“… CA believes that the model devised in the 1990s, which is based on a fixed percentage of revenue, has served its intended purpose — to make Australia’s cricketers some of the best paid sportspeople in the country.”The Australian Cricketers Association (ACA), the player’s union, responded by saying they needed to scrutinise the small print of the offer and reiterated its stance that any new deal should include a revenue-sharing model.“CA has responded to the ACA’s calls for improved pay and conditions for all cricket players regardless of gender and of the need for more investment in grassroots cricket,” ACA chief Alistair Nicholson said.“The ACA has fought long and hard for these causes. Men and women have stood united for a fairer deal for all and for the next generation of cricketers. The ACA commends our members for their resolve.”The biggest winners under the new deal would be women players, who will be included in the “memorandum of understanding” for a first time.“Under the proposal, women will receive an immediate average pay increase of more than 125 percent,” Sutherland added.“As a result, our international women cricketers will see their average pay increase from A$79 000 to A$179 000, as of July 1 this year. By 2021, we expect to see our international women cricketers earning an average of A$210 000.”
Matches will then proceed in the same knockout format until the winner emerges on October 13.Organizers were compelled to invite North African nation, Morocco as a result of the subsisting FIFA ban that bars Sierra Leone from partaking in international football.Although the ban may be lifted before the tournament kicks off, Sierra Leone’s footballers have again been denied of much –needed exposure and excitement due to the FIFA ban, occasioned by harebrained and ridiculous corruption allegations against FA President Isha Johansen and Secretary General Chris Kamara. Earlier in the week, after about one year of empty frenzy termed trial, the High Court in Sierra Leone discharged and acquitted the duo, stating that the allegations were frivolous, and restored them to office.The FIFA ban was the reason Sierra Leone was thrown out of the 2019 AFCON qualifying series, in which they had a great chance of qualification after beating Kenya in Freetown.Hosts Senegal will open the WAFU Cup of Nations finals against Guinea Bissau on September 28.Share this:FacebookRedditTwitterPrintPinterestEmailWhatsAppSkypeLinkedInTumblrPocketTelegram Nigeria will square up to neighbours Togo in the 2019 WAFU Cup of Nations taking place in Thies, Senegal from September 28 to October 13.The new format means a first round straight knockout, with the winners proceeding to challenge for the trophy while the losers go on to contest for the Plate.The Eagles B, who lost to host nation Ghana in the final of the last edition in September 2017, will battle Togo’s Sparrow Hawks on September 29. Flying Eagles at training session in Poland.
She’s been ready for this role her whole life and, now that it’s here, she’s got it all to herself.Senior captain Annemarie Hickey will have the heavy undertaking of leading the Wisconsin volleyball team as the only active senior in the lineup.Hickey has been the Big Ten’s leader in digs the past two seasons but she has never reached the NCAA tournament, won a conference title or even finished in the top half of the league.The 5-foot 8-inch libero isn’t trying to be too sentimental about her last year as a Badger, but she knows she is the go-to leader on the squad.“I don’t want to leave with any regrets,” Hickey said. “I want to make this the best year I can make it, not just for myself, but for my teammates too. Just being in the role of, ‘I’m the only one, I need to be that leader, be that person that helps the team grow.’”Hickey has had plenty of experience leading teams in the past. In high school, she helped lead her team to two Illinois 3A state championships during her junior and senior seasons, during which the team lost a total of just four matches.Even as a sophomore at Wisconsin, she tried to become one of the team’s role models. Hickey said she never thought of age as a factor when trying to become a team leader — she only thought about how she could bring her best qualities to the team.“I’ve kind of been in this role my whole entire life,” Hickey said. “I’ve just been a really big competitor, and I’ve always wanted to win.”That will to win has been evident during team practices. Head coach Kelly Sheffield said Hickey has been a vocal leader who’s unabashed about speaking her mind on the court.“She’s mouthy,” Sheffield said. “She’s shutting people down, just housing people on the slides. She’s barking at them, yelling at them, trash talking — her mouth is leading the way.”Hickey took it upon herself to let her teammates know if they were doing something wrong even in her sophomore year. Junior Ellen Chapman recalls Hickey shouting “hit the floor” after she expected Chapman to dive for live balls.Even though Hickey could be overtly straightforward, Chapman said everything that Hickey does is for the good of the team.“Everyone does respect her,” Chapman said. “We know that when she says stuff like that, she’s not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings or get mad — we know she’s not mad, she’s just trying to make the team better.”Not only is Hickey eager for her teammates to improve, but she is ruthless about refining her own skills. Sheffield said the number one way she leads the team is with her play and her consistency. He said Hickey brings a contagious enthusiasm to the gym and even spends a great amount of time practicing away from the team.Sheffield said even though she has a lot to say, Hickey puts her money where her mouth is with her work ethic.“She’s kind of been a standard,” Sheffield said. “If you’re not even in her league, then you probably can’t say you’re working that hard.”Hickey had to put her hard work and leadership to the test this past weekend at the North Dakota State University Classic. Down two games to zero against Northern Iowa, Wisconsin looked to its senior leader for guidance. Hickey told the team if they wanted the chance to win, they needed to believe it could happen.With no break in between the second and third game, the Badgers were able to gain momentum, and with the help of 13 kills, 15 digs and two service aces from the senior captain, Wisconsin won the next three sets to complete the first 0-2 comeback in nearly 10 years.Even when the Badgers had little room for error, the senior captain provided the inspiration for a once-in-a-decade comeback.“I think a lot of my teammates look to me to be that voice of the team,” Hickey said. “[I was trying] to bring them together, to bring them up and always be positive.”Wisconsin’s three wins over the weekend, including the victory over Northern Iowa and a win over No. 17 Louisville, boosted the Badgers to a top-25 ranking for the first time since 2008.As the lone senior, this is Hickey’s last opportunity to succeed in collegiate volleyball. But, according to Chapman, this is the best volleyball at Wisconsin she has seen in her three years on the team.“Just as a team, we’re so much more together,” Chapman said. “Our whole mindset, just in practice, is get things done, get one percent better every single day. I think that’s just going to get better through the year. This is just the beginning, and we have so much farther to go than where we are now.”
In Hobbie class, Elie Avy and Tunde Mustapha finished the race in 2 hours 10:53minutes, Jay Smulders and Natacha Smulders recorded 2 hours 14:30 minutes, while Bradley Adam and Elena Costello finished in 2 hours 18:11 minutes to place the first, second and third respectively.In Mono Hull class, Julian Hardy and Laurens Kreuze finished in 1 hour 49:50 minutes to claim the first position ahead of Mike Barnes, and Olympic sailor who participated along with Lanre Mabawonku. They concluded the race in 1 hour 51:17 minutes to place second, while the trio of Will Grace, Zein Alzein and Eric Peute, who made it in 1 hour 52:54 minutes, were third.According to the Managing Director of TMS UK Limited, Rogerson John, the yacht racing is an avenue for people to come together, celebrate and combat the fear of the unknown whilst sailing.“The aim is to explore different sectors and ensure togetherness whereby giving back to the society” said Rogerson, who is also founder of TMS UK Limited.Cyril Ayemere, Chairman TMS Nigeria, explained that the competition was conceived to encourage people to sail.Ayemere stressed that the commitment of TMS to the harbour race was to unite people from different race and sectors to come together and overcome the fear of the unknown.“Safety measures are put in place, while we ensure a good weather condition for a hitch free sailing,” he stated.Share this:FacebookRedditTwitterPrintPinterestEmailWhatsAppSkypeLinkedInTumblrPocketTelegram It was celebration galore as the Lagos Yacht Club held its Harbour Race competition at the Magazine Point, Marina Lagos.Known as the “TMS Harbour Race” and sponsored by Technical Mechanical Service, a global company that specialises in the supply of heavy duty spare parts, the carnival-like race attracted top personalities from all spheres of life.Sailors were participated from two classes – Hobbie and Mono Hull – with winners rewarded for their spirit of sportsmanship.
Galvanized by an unprecedented deal with Showtime that guarantees him at least $32 million per fight, Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. sits atop the 10th annual Sports Illustrated Fortunate 50, which ranks the 50 highest-earning professional athletes in the U.S.With $90 million in projected earnings for 2013, and that’s with $0 in endorsement income. Mayweather tops the list for the second consecutive year.Floyd sat down with executive editor Jon Wertheim for a Q&A, featured in this week’s SI, before his victory over Robert Guerrero on May 4. He says, “Surround yourself with the right team. It takes brains to make the money.” When asked how his time in prison affected his view about money, Mayweather adds: “I got offers and huge deals when I was locked up, with CEOs writing me, wanting to do business with me, Fortune 500 companies wanting to do business with me.But my main focus was just coming home and being free. You can have all the money in the world, but if you’re not free, it’s like being poor, because you can’t do anything.”Mayweather is the only boxer in the top 50 earners.