From: bigmongo1963@biteme.com   
      
   On Fri, 22 Mar 2024 18:56:32 -0000 (UTC), J.D. Baldwin wrote:   
      
   > In the previous article, Big Mongo   wrote:   
   >> The warden announced the time of death as 11:03 p.m., [...]   
   >   
   > Obviously anyone can "announce" anything he likes, but is there some   
   > special authority granted in this situation to *declare* death?   
      
   They usually do, but if they're wearing roller skates, pinwheel hats, a   
   Napoleonic uniform  and having full-on conversations with their alter egos   
   that no one else can see or hear they cannot be taken very seriously as   
   they don't have the authority to announce much of anything.   The   
   industrial prison complex would never get anything done otherwise as the   
   process if grueling enough as it is without listening to random yahoos and   
   yabboos. Now, if you're the Warden of an institution whose stock and trade   
   is to put down societies miscreants in a fine double-breasted suite and a   
   kipper tie or a 10 gallon Stetson hat on your head and a pearl handled   
   pistol on your hip folks are going to respect your implied authority when   
   you stand at the podium, looking dour with a death warrant clutched firmly   
   in your fist.  At that late date, most arguments that remain have little   
   merit and probably aren't worth letting your dinner get cold.   
      
   > Was it  just understood that the guys in white coats with stethoscopes   
   >were assenting in an official declaration of death by nodding to each   
   >other?   
      
   They are bound by the sanctity of their position and the oaths   
   they took when assuming them.  The white coat guys want to get home for   
   dinner and cocktails and perhaps get a leg over just like the rest of us   
   so they're unlikely to muck about and prolong the process.  It's   
   unpleasant enough as it is without prolonging it further by asking a lot   
   of silly questions about violating the Hippocratic oath or pointing out   
   minutia that couldn't possibly matter a wit in the big picture.   
      
   > What's the paperwork like, here?   
      
   Epic, I would assume, but once the final T's are crossed, the last I's are   
   dotted and last legal gambit played gangway for justice boys!!!  Once that   
   train's got a full head of steam and is heading for you there's no going   
   back!!!!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)