Steve Jobs Backs Organ Donor Registry Bill in California

[Sour Apple]

Its not MAC its Mac.

MAC = Media access control

Mac = Macintosh

Also Im very happy to see this topic! It really proves to all those people who deny steve jobs has no heart that he actually does.

He's still a selfish b-tard. Telling other people to donate their organs doesn't mean he has a heart. How many times have you read Steve Jobs and philanthropy in the same sentence? Nada, zip, zero. He's only doing it because it can benefit him again in the future and it costs him nothing.

Also, the article did not mention if Steve is an organ donor.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Everything I've posted is about getting people to sign up. I don't know where you got the stripping away of rights thing.

I said before that I don't have a problem with the California plan if there is no default option. If it simply requires that someone make a choice on the form, or the form will be considered incomplete, it's fine and will probably lead to more donors.

What I'm against is going to the "implied consent" model. You shouldn't have to "opt out" of something that someone has no right to do to you in the first place.

I'm sure a lot of people here, if polled, would be happy to go a step further. They'd be perfectly happy with an "imposed consent" policy, anyone's personal wishes be damned. That's not the America I was born in.

 

[mingoglia]

I wonder if California has a hard time finding organ donors because they're a liberal state and liberals think about no one other than themselves. Why be an organ donor if it's not helping YOU out? Ironic he has to fly to a conservative state where people think about others and not just themselves. Was this too politically charged?

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Also, the article did not mention if Steve is an organ donor.

I'm sure he is, but so what if he isn't? He paid for his organ, fair and square.

The problem with taking the market out of decisions like this is we end up with little gods on high making the decisions for us. You were a smoker? No organ for you! We're a stone's throw away from applying an ideological litmus test to organs. Too liberal? Too conservative? Too homophobic? No organ for you!

It may seem distasteful, but making the organ industry (a profitable industry that cheats using government force) play by market rules will improve availability and save lives the way boards of god-like tyrants cannot.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Was this too politically charged?

Yes. To the bottom of the list with you!

 

[sjinsjca]

I'm sure he is, but so what if he isn't? He paid for his organ, fair and square.

The problem with taking the market out of decisions like this is we end up with little gods on high making the decisions for us. You were a smoker? No organ for you! We're a stone's throw away from applying an ideological litmus test to organs. Too liberal? Too conservative? Too homophobic? No organ for you!

It may seem distasteful, but making the organ industry (a profitable industry that cheats using government force) play by market rules will improve availability and save lives the way boards of god-like tyrants cannot.

+1

It's only distasteful to those who think everyone should have everything for free, and that there's nothing wrong (much less evil) to claim a right to someone else's property, work and life.

 

[Doctor Q]

I'm glad to see a celebrity endorsement for a program that saves lives.

What we should each do:

1. Read and learn what it means to be an organ and tissue donor.
2. Make our own decision.
3. Fill out a donor form in your state and put it in your wallet.
4. Tell your family about it so they'll know and respect your wishes.
5. Encourage other people to do these same steps.

 

[Jetson]

On the whole organ donor thing, everyone should be automatically put on a list after they reach 18. If they want off it, that is when action is needed. Don't give us the choice to not do something that can save countless lives with no effect on us.

You're crazy!

No one, especially the state has the right to my body parts dead or alive.

The mindsets of some people is shocking beyond belief.

This guy probably dreams of a nightmare "utopia" where people are implanted with rfids that signal the Beast when someone dies. A harvesting team is immediately dispatched, arriving at the death scene via helicopter to remove whatever body parts are in demand at that time.

Your grandma just died and they need her eyes and brain, so they remove her head and stuff it in an ice chest. If you interfere you will be arrested for felony violation of the Cannibalization Act. Grandma didn't know that she had to take action to notify the authorities that she was not a donor? Too bad, chump.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

This guy probably dreams of a nightmare "utopia" where people are implanted with rfids that signal the Beast when someone dies. A harvesting team is immediately dispatched, arriving at the death scene via helicopter to remove whatever body parts are in demand at that time.

I'm sure everyone will call you crazy, because after all, nothing anyone calls crazy today could ever possibly happen tomorrow.

And yet, there's this huge market for science fiction, which like, is totally about stuff that could never possibly happen... like that wacky Jules Verne guy and all his far-fetched ideas.

 

[ARobets]

Five year survival rate for liver transplant is 75%

Is California making a mistake by adopting "mandated decision," requiring people to declare one way or the other at the DMV? According to a colleague who is a medical director for a transplantation program, similar legislation has been done before in Texas and Virginia. Unfortunately, two years after passage in the mid-90s, they repealed the law. The truth of the matter is that the consent rate had dropped precipitously after adopting a mandated decision. Apparently, residents of TX & VA resented being told that had to make a decision they didn't want (or weren't ready) to make, and answered "No" in droves. Will the same thing happen again in CA? While I applaud CA's desire to increase donation rates and to save lives, one has to wonder why they have chosen to present legislation that has been counterproductive in the past. Without better public education messages, I fear "mandated decision" will not succeed in CA. Undoubtedly, we all are happy Steve Jobs is still alive and interested in helping the liver donation cause. Maybe it would be wiser for him to create a fund for research on the topic of increasing donation rates, and piloting public education programs to facilitate change. Supporting legislation that has failed in the past is not like Jobs, and I am surprised he has decided to support legislation that may actually cause donation rates to drop.

 

[RTee]

Will Steve Jobs be donating free/at cost use of his private jet to those in California wanting to go to the Southern states to get organs? Just curious.

Are you serious? Isn't what he's done here a good thing?

The whole idea of this is to raise awareness and to make it easier for people to sign up and to reduce the shortage in California. I'm sure you don't have a jet but would you be driving people for treatment that didn't have a car if it were you that's had a transplant or whatever?

 

[marksman]

I have not researched this myself, but last week this came up in a discussion, organ donation, and multiple people told me that organs are often shipped out of the country.

The same people had a big problem with that, and I say I probably do too. If I am going to donate my organs if I die, I would like them to go to help someone in the United States first and foremost.

I would expect other countries would feel the same.

 

[pyth]

Wow. Big hairy straw dog---make up a claim and then firmly stand in opposition. Anti-freedom? What are you smoking?

You and Pyth can take your organs to the grave if you want. Stop promoting the idea that the"government" wants your organs and owns your organs. That's complete BS. All you are required to do is make a decision one way or the other, because at the time of death it's too late to get into a deep, philosophical discussion of the Rights of Man, the Everlasting, and Your Contributions to Society. Is that hard? Don't like the pressure? Agree this time and change your mind the next time, no one cares. Change back the time after that--again, no one cares; they would just like to know your intentions in advance.

Thanks. I'm glad I now have your permission.

The fact is that if you do have an opt-out system, rather than an opt-in system, the government (or the big medical shadow government against which Obama has been railing for a year or so, if you like) would have first dibs on my organs. If my license or government-issued ID has a sticker that says "I'm a donor!", I'm pretty sure that my family would respect "my wishes" and let 'em gut me.

And the issue against which I was speaking was not organ donation. I want my organs, even when I'm dead. I'm totally fine with you giving yours up. That's your choice. I'm totally against opt-out donation rolls, which is all I was saying. And I was mocking the guy to whom I was replying, but that's just out of habit.

 

[KhanakXersahk]

Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.

Do you actually think only the RICH people don't care until it happens to them? I'm not an advocate for any organizations. But if I got a cancer or some disease that was saved by something, I'd be an advocate for it. So it's not really "shame on Steve for not doing this sooner" it's actually using his real life experience to speak out to other people. In my opinion, if it didn't happen to you, why should I listen to you? Not YOU but in general you.

 

[captain kaos]

I know its a steve jobs "thing", but doesn't he seriously wear anything else then that same outfit??

 

[inkswamp]

Will Steve Jobs be donating free/at cost use of his private jet to those in California wanting to go to the Southern states to get organs? Just curious.

I don't understand your point. Are you implying he's somehow a bad guy if he doesn't give everything he has to this? Why would he? One person, no matter how wealthy, cannot bear the burden of all those who need organ transplants.

 

[joseph2166]

Why are there too few organs? Well, for one its because we have laws that prohibit us from paying families for the organs of the deceased. What if we gave families $10,000 for giving up the organ of a deceased family member. That would increase the organ supply alot faster than all this crazy card filling in stuff. And it is relatively small cost compared to the expense of the whole process.

It seems weird to us, but it is a cost effective way to increase the organ supply. But I guess in the US where we are moving more toward command and control and away from free markets and free minds this type of thing will never happen. Sad for us, because dying on a waiting list does not need to happen.

We pay people for plasma and we have tons of it, we don't pay people for blood and we never have enough. Paying people works well, and in this case it would only be the family. More lives would be saved.

Even if you hadn't subtly hinted your nationality in your post I'm afraid I still would have guessed you were an American - it takes a certain type of capitalist obsession to turn organ DONATION into a 'free market'. I cringe to hear myself say it, but what about the freedom to live a good life when there's the medical technology around to let you?

p.s. I am a socialist, communist and nazi rolled into one - it keeps me busy.

 

[res1233]

So he can do no right...

I so rarely post to any macrumors threads, but I felt like I had to.

Okay guys, imagine this scenario:

Steve Jobs needs an organ transplant.
Steve Jobs finds one in another state and uses his money to get it to California in time.
Steve Jobs survives then proceeds to do NOTHING to help other people who need organs.
Steve Jobs gets criticized for doing this.

Replace the word "NOTHING" with "SOMETHING" and the scenario is exactly the same, but instead is what actually happened, what would you have him do? Honestly, I applaud him for doing this as this is the only RIGHT thing he could do. Not doing so would be wrong, so don't criticize him for doing it. I really don't understand you people...

 

[Sour Apple]

I so rarely post to any macrumors threads, but I felt like I had to.

Okay guys, imagine this scenario:

Steve Jobs needs an organ transplant.
Steve Jobs finds one in another state and uses his money to get it to California in time.
Steve Jobs survives then proceeds to do NOTHING to help other people who need organs.
Steve Jobs gets criticized for doing this.

Replace the word "NOTHING" with "SOMETHING" and the scenario is exactly the same, but instead is what actually happened, what would you have him do? Honestly, I applaud him for doing this as this is the only RIGHT thing he could do. Not doing so would be wrong, so don't criticize him for doing it. I really don't understand you people...

Besides spending an hour or 2 at a news conference, what exactly has he done to bring awareness to the Donor Registry? Has he donated any money or resources? Nope. Volunteer his time? Nope. He's done nothing more than what an actor or actress does in a commercial. He is an unethical, selfish businessman. He will only do things that benefit himself.

Wozniak 70's - Jobs and Wozniak had a deal where they would split proceeds 50/50 on stuff they sold to Atari. Jobs told Woz they made $600. In Nolan Bushnell's book, "Silicon Valley Guys" it was revealed Jobs was actually paid $3k-$5k.
http://www.woz.org/letters/pirates/30.html

At age 23, and already wealthy, Jobs fathered a child and for 2 years, while the mother was on welfare, he kept denying he was the father. He even went as far as signing a court documents stating he was "sterile and infertile, and as a result thereof, did not have the physical capacity to procreate a child."
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index2.htm

How about Microsoft, HP and Motorola who deeply regret ever partnering with the Apple.
Apple even tried to license its OS at one time and then literally put their licensees out of business by breaking their promise to support them because it was not convenient.
http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/enderle/steve-jobs-and-bill-gates-lessons-learned/?cs=16537

Jobs' personal abuses are also legend: He parks his Mercedes in handicapped spaces, periodically reduces subordinates to tears, and fires employees in angry tantrums.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index.htm

Stanford management science professor Robert Sutton discussed Jobs in his bestselling 2007 book, "The No ***** Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't." "As soon as people heard I was writing a book on aholes, they would come up to me and start telling a Steve Jobs story,"
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index.htm

 

[Cole Slaw]

Besides spending an hour or 2 at a news conference, what exactly has he done to bring awareness to the Donor Registry? Has he donated any money or resources? Nope. Volunteer his time? Nope. He's done nothing more than what an actor or actress does in a commercial. He is an unethical, selfish businessman. He will only do things that benefit himself.

Wozniak 70's - Jobs and Wozniak had a deal where they would split proceeds 50/50 on stuff they sold to Atari. Jobs told Woz they made $600. In Nolan Bushnell's book, "Silicon Valley Guys" it was revealed Jobs was actually paid $3k-$5k.
http://www.woz.org/letters/pirates/30.html

At age 23, and already wealthy, Jobs fathered a child and for 2 years, while the mother was on welfare, he kept denying he was the father. He even went as far as signing a court documents stating he was "sterile and infertile, and as a result thereof, did not have the physical capacity to procreate a child."
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index2.htm

How about Microsoft, HP and Motorola who deeply regret ever partnering with the Apple.
Apple even tried to license its OS at one time and then literally put their licensees out of business by breaking their promise to support them because it was not convenient.
http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/blogs/enderle/steve-jobs-and-bill-gates-lessons-learned/?cs=16537

Jobs' personal abuses are also legend: He parks his Mercedes in handicapped spaces, periodically reduces subordinates to tears, and fires employees in angry tantrums.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index.htm

Stanford management science professor Robert Sutton discussed Jobs in his bestselling 2007 book, "The No ***** Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't." "As soon as people heard I was writing a book on aholes, they would come up to me and start telling a Steve Jobs story,"
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index.htm

He sounds like a real prick.
And you'd think he'd have enough $$$ to buy some new God-damned clothes!

 

[Darkroom]

CEO of Apple Comwhatnow?

 

[One Ohm]

If old man Jobs directs his money, power, and ingenuity to the medical community...I say say WOW!!! The things he could do for America and thus humanity....

 

[pooryou]

The problem with donating organs is there are too many evil bastards in this world whose lives I would not want to be responsible for extending.

 

[MorphingDragon]

Your grandma just died and they need her eyes and brain, so they remove her head and stuff it in an ice chest. If you interfere you will be arrested for felony violation of the Cannibalization Act. Grandma didn't know that she had to take action to notify the authorities that she was not a donor? Too bad, chump.

What, its only giving back to the community. You didnt get off your lazy ass and now you get to pay it back insomething you dont need anymore.

 

[Goldfinger]

Where I live (Belgium) we have an opt-out system. everyone is an organ donor unless they ask not to be one. Because of this there is a much bigger supply of organs and a much better chance of having a match.
I think this is a better system, most people don't mind being organ donors, they just never bothered to sign up for it. And the people who really don't want to be donors, because of religious beliefs or whatever, can still easily opt out.

Really? I didn't know that. I was always under the impression that you or your family needed to give permission.
That's great though. It shouldn't even be an opt-out IMHO. Just plain mandatory. You don't need those organs six feet under.