Swap Blog

The stem cell debate may have slipped from America’s headlines, but research goes on. Many people, on both sides of the arguement, fundementally misunderstood the Bush administration ban on stem cell research. The crux of it is that the GOVERNMENT would not fund stem cell research, but private industry and individuals were still allowed to.

So, all though there is a government funds ban on stem cell research, stem cell research has continued. The thing that makes stem cells special is that they can become any of the 220 types of cells within the human body. The current news is that researchers in Wisconsin have gotten the stem cells to become motor nuerons, which allow the brain and muscles to talk. This could lead to cures for Lou G. diease and other motor function ailments.

The rub is that the cells are harvests from babies, not fetuses mind you, and that is where the moral issue lies. Some argue that it allows babies that were aborted to have a use, but others argue it makes abortion less impactful as it takes the baby to no more then cells and since those cells helped another then the abortion is not as morally painful for the mother. One of the unmentioned ideas though is use of ambilical stem cells (from the ambical cord that is cut at birth) that could be used instead of the cells of an aborted baby.

The debate and the research will both go on, but remember just because it is not in the news does not mean it is not occuring. Be mindful and follow God’s lead on how to combat the use of aborted stem cells for both research and cures to diease.

Better Human Link

Health Talk Link

Our own Frank has a CD review up on Created2worship.net - click the link to the site and then look at the site updates or the reviews section to read it. Support Created2worship.net and their webmistress Brittney as much as possible as they have a great ministry and are real asset to the body of Christ.

Come on Microsoft what kind of bone head move is that to call a product - “Reduced Media Edition” (RME) and then contend that a name such as that would not have the effect of making some consumers think that the “RME” is less functional then the version of XP that included Windows Media Player (WMP).

For those that have not been following the story here is a fast recap - Microsoft lost a case in the EU (European Union) regarding bundling WMP with Windows. The EU court ruled that by bundling WMP Microsoft was acting reducing the likelyhood of competition from Real Player, Win Amp, etc. Basically the EU ruled that WMP was not a key requirement for Windows (Microsoft’s reason for saying that they could not ship a working version of Windows without it), and that Microsoft only included WMP to create a monopoly on media players and reduce competition. After agruing for years that it could not produce a version of Windows without WMP, Microsoft was able to do so within a few weeks of losing the case. (Makes that argument about unbundling Internet Explorer a bit weaker doesn’t it Bill?) One of the key rulings in the case was that Microsoft’s “new version” of Windows could not infer to the public it was less funcitional or less usable. Microsoft’s solution - Reduced Media Edition - no the word reduced never infer’s less to anyone. The Redmond crew says decided not to fight this round, but they claim that the name would have held up against the restriction. My guess is they probably worried about increased fines, additional restrictions, and the likelyhood that a US court may pick on the issue of unbundling Internet Explorer again. In the end, Microsoft will come up with another name for this new version.

Link - Seattle Pi.com

Tech World Story

Get involved in helping VOM (Voice Of The Martyrs), or Persecution.com with their action packs. Click the link below to learn more about sending Action Packs into Afganistan. The packs are $5 each and you fill them with needed items. VOM provides each one with a colored Bible story in the native tongue of the person recieving the pack. Get involved personally, get your Sunday school involved, get your friends involved, and get your church involved.

Action Pack Link

For those still fighting the Net Sky Virus check out the following link. It is very helpful and all links are too free tools.

Netsky Virus Definition Page

We found a cool physics sites that everyone should check out.

Physics Site

Yesterday a man planned to commit suicide by parking his Jeep on some railroad tracks. Before the train reached him, he changed his mind and fled the vehicle because he was unable to move the vehicle that was now stuck on the tracks. The result was a train wreck that killed eleven and injured hundreds. The question today is if he should be charged with murder and then have the death sentence pursued as punishment.

First of all I think this man should and will be charged with eleven counts of first degree murder. He planned to kill himself and he in acted a plan to do so, and if it killed others he was not concerned. That shows both for thought, planning and malice towards others. To me that raises to the level of first degree murder.

With that said, the only question left is should the DA pursue the death penalty. I am personally a strong supporter of the death penalty and think if it was used more often it would be a more viable deterrent to crime. However, in this case I am in favor of life in prison without parole.

Why you ask? Simply this man wants to die and giving him the death penalty gives him what he wants. He needs to suffer long and hard in prison. He does not deserve to die peaceful in prison via lethal injection. He needs to spend every day of the rest of life thinking about how he destroyed the lives of eleven families and his life should be filled with days of him thinking about how much he should have died himself and how weak of a person he is for fleeing.

Suicide takes no strength, it is a selfish act of a weak person. All it does is hurt the ones that you love you and that you leave behind. It does not make you any better off and it does not solve any problems, it just creates new ones of those left behind. The only thing weaker then suicide is deciding not to kill yourself and allowing others to die as a result of your selfish and weak attempt. This man needs to live with his weakness every day of the rest of his life and die a old, gray man behind the walls of the California prison system.

Justice here is 11 guilty counts with 11 consecutive life sentences without the chance of parole.

SFGATE.COM Story

The UK Times Online Story

Well Condi was swarn in this AM and she made history in several ways. She is the first Africian American female to hold the post, following the first Africian American male to ever hold the post, and she got more votes against her then any Sec of State nominee if over 100 years.

These votes against her came from the leaders of the Democratic party. This is extremely odd coming from a party that has long called itself the champion of civil and equal rights. The fact that Senator Byrd from West Virginia voted against Ms. Rice, as well as voting against both Africian American’s that have served on the Supreme Court, is not odd or surprising. The others that voted against Ms. Rice did it solely for politics. The thing that is odd is how little outcry comes from the civil rights organizations when Democrats vote against Africian American appointees. This shows me that race is second to poltics when you get to Washington, regardless of your past.

If the roles were reversed, and anglo Republican Senators were voting against Africian American appointees for a Democrat president race would be a issue. If the fact was that one of the Senator voting against the nominee was a former KKK member and had voted against previous African American appointees would be noted and discussed as well.

The long and short is that Ms. Rice was never in danger of not being approved, but that certain Senators took her nomination as a opportunity to launch against the president and his policies. No Secertary of State would be nominated if they were not able helpers and supporters of the presidents they serve. Ms. Albright supported Clinton without question, if she had not she would nto have had the job, but her support of questionable military operations (Bosnia, Somilia, and launching missles on Iraq to name a few) were never reasons to question her abilities. Ms. Rice speaks five langauges fluentently and is highly skilled and educated. She was in the Reagan presidentancy when the wall came down. She can handle this job and she should be allowed to serve.

Classic theatre has returned to Knoxville. After many millions and months of reburbishing the Tennessee theatre in downtown Knoxville has reopened. It is classic, it is grand and it was worth the wait. The theatre is great, the building is great, the sound is great, and Knoxville finally has a downtown venue that is worthy of being visited regularly, not just for special occasions.

Tennessee Theatre Link