Slog - Comments on Today in the Gimp Parade http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade Since I'm going to be on crutches for a little while, I thought I'd do some etymological cruising on "gimp." The etymology is weak—OED: "uncertain, perhaps a corruption of 'gammy'" which is, awesomely, "Tramps' slang for bad, not good." Wikipedia doesn't have much to say except that "gimp" is a politically incorrect term and a BDSM character and a kind of plasticky thread (aka "Scoubidou," origins: French) used for making all that woven crap kids bring home from summer camp. Then I, uh, stumbled over The Gimp Parade, a blog by Blue/Kay Olson, "a thirtysomething disabled feminist. Overeducated, underemployed." She's... Copyright 2008 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:52:06 -0800 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:15:18 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Levislade If you think they hate Kevorkian, don't even get 'em started on Peter Singer.

]]> Levislade http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735141 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735141 Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:48:59 -0800 Comment by Garrett GIMP is also the free downloadable program I rarely use. It's an alternative to Photoshop.

http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

]]> Garrett http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735150 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735150 Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:00:14 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi Her argument seems to be that we have to protect severely ill and disabled people from themselves by denying them access to assisted suicide. Sounds a little patronizing.

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735245 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735245 Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:22:05 -0800 Comment by monkey Yeah, if I get severely disabled I'd like to keep my options open, thanks. But hey, suicide is like cable tv... if it offends you don't do/watch it.

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735265 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735265 Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:43:37 -0800 Comment by Kay Olson Hi, author of The Gimp Parade here. I'm not a member of Not Dead Yet, but my views line up with theirs pretty well. Suicide is available to everyone. What I oppose is the cost-effective slant medical care threatens to take when assisted suicide is available but not access to mental health services, adequate pain management, or in-home care. It's not like the social message doesn't already exist that many disabled people would be better off dead. We can decide for ourselves, but I oppose a policy that contributes to a system that prefers us dead.

As for Kevorkian. Many of the people he "assisted" were not terminally ill but instead people who may have benefited greatly from access to the other services I've mentioned above. I don't think even the organizations that lobby for assisted suicide want much to do with him.

Good luck with the crutches.

]]> Kay Olson http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735386 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735386 Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 14:28:59 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle GIMP is a great Linux graphics package.

And it's free.

Revel in your GIMP status!

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735449 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c735449 Life Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:28:42 -0800 Comment by Bill MSN I NIIPET
MSN

]]> Bill http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c741071 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/today_in_the_gimp_parade#c741071 Life Tue, 12 Jun 2007 13:15:18 -0800