164? 264?
Death is neither a reward nor a punishment. It is true that each of us can do things that will improve our chances of living longer, but that is at base just another form of gambling, like knowing not to hit on 18 in blackjack.

There are many flaws in the health care system, but one of them is not its failure to prevent death. Indeed, it could be argued that the illusion that death is preventable is at the heart of many of the excesses of the health care system.

How much would you pay to live a minute longer? How about a day longer? How about a year longer, only you'd be unconscious the whole time? Is the length of your life the sole measure of its value?
�Jon Carroll/SFGate 10.09.03