What is it with Sarah Palin's scowl and intonation? She sounds like something out of one of those dreams on Twin Peaks with dancing dwarves.
So she's a pit bull in lipstick? Well, hell, that qualifies her to be Vice President for sure.
She had a fifth baby at the age of 43-44. Hmm. Lets check the odds: "At 40, your chance of carrying a child with Down syndrome is one in 82; at 45 it's one in 30. " And lo and behold she had a Down syndrome baby. Now I'm sure he'll be a fine person and will bring the family together, but he's going to have limited fun during his time on this planet. Did she do him a service by conceiving him? Might they not have considered a little basic birth control?
She's a skilled orator, but a demagogue par excellence. Does she have anything to say about the biggest problem facing the country now, i.e. the credit implosion? I don't think so, but then again I can't stay up to watch.
But one thing must be said in her favor. She receives applause well. When Obama was greeted at the Democratic Convention, he said "Thank you" and variants thereupon over and over and over again, in this tone of voice that said that it was he who was in fact Destiny's Child. He acted as if by trying to still the applause he was being modest, but it came off that he wanted to act upon the crowd and bestill it. I don't want to be too negative, but it wasn't his best moment.
For Palin it in many ways was. She came onto the stage, everybody cheered for a long time, and she nodded appreciatively, said thank you a few times, but graciously let them cheer to their hearts content.
All told, I think that she is excellent fodder for a heartwarming Julia Roberts role in a future biopic.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Sarah Palin
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2 comments:
Methinks McCain picked Palin for some White House intern action sans the intern. Cindy better watch out.
It's pretty common practice for people to weigh the risks associated with various acts before committing to them. Having kids is a particular case in point. The risk of bearing children with chromosomal defects undoubtedly rises as women approach and go past 40. People often investigate and consider those risks when deciding whether or not they should have more kids.
There is undoubtedly a subjective component to my suggestion that the kid is less likely to lead a happy life. Happiness is not easy to quantify. Wikipedia tells us that one study shows that people with Down Syndrome have an average lifespan of 49 years, and that fertility is impaired in both genders: there are only three known instances of males with Down Syndrome have fathered children. It also notes that most people with Down Syndrome have some form of mental retardation.
Taken together, this seems to argue to me that kids with Down Syndrome are less likely to enjoy the lives they lead than kids without Down Syndrome, and therefore that it is rational to consider these risks when thinking about having a kid in your forties.
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