Death without dignity

"I don't mean to sound cavalier These are gut-wrenching issues any of us could someday face. But there are many simple, painless ways to end it all if one is of a mind to do so. And as the law school question goes, 'If suicide is a crime, what's the punishment?' " - State Sen. Tom McClintock, suggesting that terminally ill people don't need a law to kill themselves.

George Skelton answers back: "Well, Tom, here's one answer: Some poor bloke is going to stumble across the body and perhaps be traumatized for life, especially if blood is involved — even more so if the body-finder is an unsuspecting loved one."