Stem Cell Funding Ban Lifted

About a month ago, stemdude reminded me that Obama had not yet reversed Bush's ban on federal funding for stem cell research. And, stemdude, I'm sorry I didn't get back to you -- just a busy crazy time there, and it slipped my mind. But, indeed, one of the simplest and yet potentially most helpful acts that could be done... hadn't been done yet.

But it has been now.

ETA: A very important detail about the way our obnoxious, evil, complicit mainstream media is framing part of this story -- supposedly, Obama is avoiding addressing a separate legislative ban on the funding. That would be because it's Congress's job, and so, legally, he can't.

That separation-of-powers thing that Cheney thought was so Old European, or somethin'.

Would it kill them to take fifteen seconds and follow this stuff up? Yes, yes, I know, it would. Sigh.

ETA2: I deleted a comment (and the comments that followed it) because it got out of line. Please don't make me do it again.

The Birthday of Bobby Fischer

I'm a bit hesitant to say "Happy Birthday", because the poor bastard didn't have many happy days at all. Born on this date in 1943. Scary great chess player, the best in the world, the Harlan Ellison or Muhammad Ali of chess, you didn't know what he'd do next but there was a good chance it'd be brilliant and an equally good chance he'd kick your ass with it.

But there was something wrong inside him. Upbringing, brain chemistry, experience, some combination of the three, something else, I dunno. But he was one of the most paranoid and delusional people of the last century, and that's saying a lot. And that's also probably the politest way to put it.

I mention this because I can't help thinking of all of it. For a time, early in my life, Fischer was one of my heroes. I wanted to play chess like he did. But even at the age of 12, I could see he was a jerk.

So let's discuss his good legacy: helping to popularize chess in the U.S. Of late, folkmew has been pleasantly surprised to find out that there are a lot more chess players in filk than she ever knew about. (Her son is very much into it these days.) Who else here likes a good game of chess? And, should we try to set up something at a con?