But Britney isn't alone. In China, songs and stories of the mythical "Grass Mud Horse" flood the web, frustrating state censors. In Mandarin, you see, the name of the faux beast sounds like a nasty curse. Funny. In a society like China, where free expression doesn't exist, a bad sex pun is an instrument of political protest. In our society, where anyone can say almost anything, it's just a lame pun.
Jim Cramer was on The Daily Show. Because it's always big, big news when one TV personality visits another.
An archaeological dig near Venice unearthed the 16th-century remains of a woman with a brick stuck between her jaws — evidence that she was believed to be a vampire," the AP reports.
Utah is considering tax on caffeine. After multiple proposals to raise the tax on cigarettes failed, Rep. Craig Frank of Utah has initiated a study on the impact of such a tax, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. "We're going after people who have problems with addiction for a revenue stream, only caffeine would be one that is more broad-based," Frank said.
Yup. Your morning cup of java is now a "problem," an "addiction," and worst of all, "a revenue stream." Next up, chocolate.
You want to get confused? Try to understand the stem cell debate. Perpetually grouchy conservative Charles Krauthammer had a solid take on why he chose not to attend the signing ceremony for Obama's sweeping changes to the laws governing stem cell research. Krauthammer actually supports the new legislation. What annoys him and others is Obama's intellectually dishonest way of presenting it.
Announcing the new bill, Obama said "our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values." He then proceeded to promise that we would now "appoint scientific advisers based on their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology." Implying, of course, Bush hadn't.
That's not fair. Bush's 2001 ruling didn't ban stem-cell research. It said that any stem-cells used for research must come from an already existing lines. It also said that the cells must have been derived from an embryo created for reproductive purposes, not created specifically for research. The idea is to not have scientists creating human embryos just to harvest new cells from them.
Then, as soon as Obama said he wouldn't let "ideology" interfere with pure science, he badly contradicted himself. In the same breath, he said, "We will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction." Why? Because cloning would be "profoundly wrong," with "no place in our society, or any society."
Really? So, if my kidneys are failing and science says it's possible to clone me and get new ones, it would be "profoundly wrong" to let me live? Gee, it's a good thing we aren't letting morals and ethics intrude on science.
