Saturday, November 15, 2003
UK authority rules out sex selection
Parents should not be allowed to choose the sex of their babies, the UK's IVF regulator has recommended after a year-long public consultation. The head of the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, Suzi Leather, says that there was a "huge public consensus" against selection, except for medical reasons. The Health Secretary, John Reid, backed the decision. "I can confirm that as long as I am secretary of state for health, sex selection will only be permitted on compelling medical grounds," he declared.
Parents should not be allowed to choose the sex of their babies, the UK's IVF regulator has recommended after a year-long public consultation. The head of the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, Suzi Leather, says that there was a "huge public consensus" against selection, except for medical reasons. The Health Secretary, John Reid, backed the decision. "I can confirm that as long as I am secretary of state for health, sex selection will only be permitted on compelling medical grounds," he declared.
A quarter of US brokers in finance market scandal
The greatest scandal in the history of the mutual fund industry has sent the American saving market reeling. A quarter of the nation’s broker-dealers engaged in illegal late trading. Half of the biggest mutual funds let certain shareholders engage in "market timing" deals that are banned in their prospectuses. 30% of fund manger admitted they gave sensitive portfolio information to privileged individuals. Neville Bennett traces what's been going on.
The greatest scandal in the history of the mutual fund industry has sent the American saving market reeling. A quarter of the nation’s broker-dealers engaged in illegal late trading. Half of the biggest mutual funds let certain shareholders engage in "market timing" deals that are banned in their prospectuses. 30% of fund manger admitted they gave sensitive portfolio information to privileged individuals. Neville Bennett traces what's been going on.
Intelligent design?
One of the big battles going on in the world of science is a major new development in the old creation v. evolution debate. In recent times, many secular scientists have started to question neo-Darwinism. In its place, they are suggesting a theory of Intelligent Design (ID). One of the people leading the argument is biochemist Michael J. Behe, who proposed the theory in his book Darwin’s Black Box. Reviews, needless to say, are mixed.
The debate was also featured in a November 11 article in the New York Times.
One of the big battles going on in the world of science is a major new development in the old creation v. evolution debate. In recent times, many secular scientists have started to question neo-Darwinism. In its place, they are suggesting a theory of Intelligent Design (ID). One of the people leading the argument is biochemist Michael J. Behe, who proposed the theory in his book Darwin’s Black Box. Reviews, needless to say, are mixed.
The debate was also featured in a November 11 article in the New York Times.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Battle for a Brave New World - latest instalments
Tucked away behind closed doors, a lot is going on in the Brave New World of human engineering. Four pieces of news just in the last few days give us a glimpse of the battles being fought.
How would you like your body to be owned by some drug company through its patents? In behind-the-scenes jousting, the US Congress is debating whether human embryos and human embryonic stem cells can be patented.
The United Nations committee in charge of drafting an international treaty on cloning has thrown up its hands and deferred a decision for another two years. Irreconcilable differences between a group led by Costa Rica and the United States which opposed cloning of any sort and a group led by Belgium which would have allowed "therapeutic" cloning have ended in a stalemate.
A survey by the California-based Center for Genetics and Society (CGS) shows that 77% of countries have taken no action to ban reproductive cloning and 86% of countries have not banned "designer babies".
Within hours after US President George W. Bush signed a bill banning partial-birth abortions, it was blocked by court orders from federal judges in the states of Nebraska, New York and California. Opponents of the law have been very emotive in their arguments, saying it attacks women’s “reproductive freedom�. So what is the procedure in question. Essentially, a late-term foetus is partially delivered before being killed, usually by puncturing its skull. Here’s an illustrated description of the process. Note that the child has no “freedoms� in the matter.
Tucked away behind closed doors, a lot is going on in the Brave New World of human engineering. Four pieces of news just in the last few days give us a glimpse of the battles being fought.
How would you like your body to be owned by some drug company through its patents? In behind-the-scenes jousting, the US Congress is debating whether human embryos and human embryonic stem cells can be patented.
The United Nations committee in charge of drafting an international treaty on cloning has thrown up its hands and deferred a decision for another two years. Irreconcilable differences between a group led by Costa Rica and the United States which opposed cloning of any sort and a group led by Belgium which would have allowed "therapeutic" cloning have ended in a stalemate.
A survey by the California-based Center for Genetics and Society (CGS) shows that 77% of countries have taken no action to ban reproductive cloning and 86% of countries have not banned "designer babies".
Within hours after US President George W. Bush signed a bill banning partial-birth abortions, it was blocked by court orders from federal judges in the states of Nebraska, New York and California. Opponents of the law have been very emotive in their arguments, saying it attacks women’s “reproductive freedom�. So what is the procedure in question. Essentially, a late-term foetus is partially delivered before being killed, usually by puncturing its skull. Here’s an illustrated description of the process. Note that the child has no “freedoms� in the matter.
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
New Element Discovered
A major research institution has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. This new element has been tentatively named Administratium.
Administratium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 111 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by a force called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Administratium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Administratium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally take only a few minutes.
Administratium has a normal half-life of three years; it does not decay but instead undergoes a reorganization, in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons and assistant deputy neutrons exchange places, and additional peons are added. In fact, Administratium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization causes some morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to speculate that Administratium is formed whenever morons reach a certain concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.
A major research institution has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. This new element has been tentatively named Administratium.
Administratium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 111 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by a force called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
Since Administratium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Administratium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally take only a few minutes.
Administratium has a normal half-life of three years; it does not decay but instead undergoes a reorganization, in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons and assistant deputy neutrons exchange places, and additional peons are added. In fact, Administratium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization causes some morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to speculate that Administratium is formed whenever morons reach a certain concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.
Wot, no news?
Apologies for no postings these past couple of days.
It's been an absolute madhouse on my desk.
I'll definitely have something tomorrow.
There's certainly no shortage of things to talk about - that's half the problem.
Apologies for no postings these past couple of days.
It's been an absolute madhouse on my desk.
I'll definitely have something tomorrow.
There's certainly no shortage of things to talk about - that's half the problem.
Monday, November 10, 2003
Not all the world is multicultural
Multiculturalism has become such a pervasive way of thinking in the West, that it obscures some harsh realities. One of these is that millions of people around the world die or are severely persecuted for their beliefs.
If a man or woman in New Zealand, or England, or the USA tells his family he has decided to become a Muslim, big deal! Whatever grabs you. Try it. You'll find that after the initial raised eyebrows everyone will bend over backwards to accommodate your new "identity". We are tolerant when people of other faiths come to our country and make converts.
Now go to a Muslim country, and tell your family that you have decided to become a Christian. Suddenly, the reality is very different. Muslims do not tolerate one of their own leaving "the true faith", and the resulting persecution is harsh. It is equally harsh for anyone who visits the country and tries to make converts.
Persecution, particularly of Christians, is growing around the world. Compass Direct monitors what's going on, as this article illustrates. Chuck Colson, the former Nixon aid who now heads Prison Ministries worldwide, says several Muslim countries have intensified persecution since September 11, mistakenly equating the United States with Christianity.
Multiculturalism has become such a pervasive way of thinking in the West, that it obscures some harsh realities. One of these is that millions of people around the world die or are severely persecuted for their beliefs.
If a man or woman in New Zealand, or England, or the USA tells his family he has decided to become a Muslim, big deal! Whatever grabs you. Try it. You'll find that after the initial raised eyebrows everyone will bend over backwards to accommodate your new "identity". We are tolerant when people of other faiths come to our country and make converts.
Now go to a Muslim country, and tell your family that you have decided to become a Christian. Suddenly, the reality is very different. Muslims do not tolerate one of their own leaving "the true faith", and the resulting persecution is harsh. It is equally harsh for anyone who visits the country and tries to make converts.
Persecution, particularly of Christians, is growing around the world. Compass Direct monitors what's going on, as this article illustrates. Chuck Colson, the former Nixon aid who now heads Prison Ministries worldwide, says several Muslim countries have intensified persecution since September 11, mistakenly equating the United States with Christianity.
