PORTICO
Jim Wiandt on Daily Blague 3 August 2004 | Full Page
Don't even get me started. What's most unbelievable is that everyone just goes along and does not even question it. NY Times dutifully runs the latest color alert front and center. It's another symptom of the utter disappearance of the U.S. media as a watchdog. This has occurred insidiously, driven by market forces and soft government power exerted against the small handful of people controlling the infotainment that serves the population as news. Those issues, coupled with the fact that people are loath to be the one who was not careful enough, have bred a preposterous environment of fear and lies. To the rest of the world...the U.S. looks like an ugly dream. Unfortunately it is not a dream. This dynamic has played out before in history - fear ignorance and xenophobia are easily sold to millions and used to cow the media. It is a catastrophic ludicrous waste of humanity, with every lie, rape and murder played out for all to see on the largest stage available.
Ken Roberts on Daily Blague 20 August 2004 | Full Page
Obviously, oddly, Pataki is in the vanguard with his big four (Cal, Fla, NY & Tex)Gov caucus; it would be fascinating if the emergent Metro party turned out to be remerging Rockefeller Republicans, who clearly need another home to reemerge to.
Randy Lindel on Daily Blague 24 August 2004 | Full Page
A point of difference with your statement today that government policies "have effectively banished stem-cell research from American universities."
Our friend Jack Kessler at Northwestern seems to be making excellent progress. Jack was recruited to head Northwestern's neurology department from Montefiore Hospital. And, as you'll see in this article, he has a very personal interest in his research.
His research focus is on using stem cells to help regrow spinal nerves. Unlike other parts of the body where injured nerve tissues naturally regrow and reconnect, spinal fluid is a hostile environment for nerve regrowth. The environment effectively cauterizes the ends of damaged nerves. See this discussion of recent progress in his work.
I wouldn't disagree that tangible medical benefit for humans has yet to come. But medical science does know that stem cells hold greater promise to treat previously untreatable diseases and conditions than most other currently known possibilities.
Jack finds his work constrained by current requirements, but not impossible. He did tell me, though, that if current or additional restrictions seriously hinder his work, that he would consider moving his lab to Europe.