Maybe he's feeling threatened that, thanks to stem cells, women may soon be able to make babies without men.

I consider it a step up. He could have issued a signing statement saying that he didn't really have to fund embryonic stem cell research.

Great point, Alon. Better to have him out in the open.

And I look forward to seeing it in my future children's history books.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the law would have given federal money for embryonic stem cell research. Private money is still free to go towards any kind of stem cell research.

Also, adult stem cells and umbilical stem cells have shown more promise in curing maladies compared to embryonic stem cells.

Also, adult stem cells and umbilical stem cells have shown more promise in curing maladies compared to embryonic stem cells.

But you still need both kinds of research to get anywhere. Adult stem cells are not totipotent, and if they ever become totipotent, they'll be ethically indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells.

The 2002 farm bill that gave taxpayer money to corporate farms to overproduce, say, for example, corn for corn syrup, which lowers the world price of all sugar substitutes such as beet sugar by several cents a bushel, reducing the income of millions of subsistence farmers in Africa, materially lowering the standard of living in developing countries, was apparently not immoral enough for Bush to veto!

I wish there were a hell, for the simple reassurance that one day Bush would have to face the knowledge that the world is a much worse place because he ignored his desire to stay home, cut brush, and ride his bicycle.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the law would have given federal money for embryonic stem cell research. Private money is still free to go towards any kind of stem cell research.

My father does stem cell research, and he said that since all of their money is from private funding, his research will be unaffected. However, if there hadn't been a veto, it would have been helpful.

What I'm seeing here is really a knee-jerk fear of Science, without thinking it through clearly with the proper information. It's the same reason Bush doesn't believe in global warming. He hasn't done his research.

While wabi-sabi simplicity and understatement are the hallmarks of Kyoto style interiors in Osaka often bustle with exuberance and spontaneity. This is well illustrated by Teizo Sato who imparts his innovative and playful spirit to the interiors of his house. The house is situated in an upscale residential area near the Fujiidera Stadium in Osaka. His grandfather built the house over 70 years ago, using Japanese hemlock, which was a popular material for luxurious homes at that time. Over time, the surfaces of hemlock timber as well as the garden have acquired a wonderful patina and a welcoming air.

The Japanese describe a person who is free from the trammels of ordinary life and able to deeply admire the beauty of nature, as well as things, as being fiiryu. Teizo Sato, a bachelor who is adept at the tea ceremony and Japanese flower arrangement, likes to think of himself as such a pe> Having lived among beautiful antiques in this special house since he was six, he has cultivated a dis cernmg eye and an understanding of Eastern as well as Western aesthetics, and often mixes the two with great panache.

Like many pottery enthusiasts, one of Sato's favorite collections is that of soba cups Soba. or buckwheat noodles, are served on a wickerwork platter and eaten with a dipping sauce served in soba cups. Sato scours curio shops and antique markets after work and on every weekend, some­times traveling as far as Tokyo to look for cups with special designs. In order to truly enjoy the cups and other tableware he has collected, he has taken to cooking and delights in setting the table with his favorite dishes. His enthusiasm for- collecting and using antiques also extends to earthenware. glassware, fabrics, furniture and Buddhist paintings.

Sato enjoys creating innovative interior arrangements to entertain and surprise his guests, while telling them stories related to his displays. Although it is common to see only minimum or restrained decoration in Sukiya-style interiors. Sato's displays are just the opposite, overflowing with new ideas and nuances. He also likes to use byobu, or folding screens, as decorative elements, as a backdrop for his displays, and as versatile dividers for his interiors. Japan has several festivals throughout the year such as the New Year, the Girls' (Dolls') Festival, the Boys' Festival, the Star Festival and the Chrysanthemum Festival. On these and other special occasions. Sato creates interior arrangements with appropriate festive themes. He hangs scrolls with paintings or calligraphic works in the tokonoma alcove to suit each festival. The highlight of such decorations is his display of dolls for the Girls' Festival on March 3 each year, when Sato's home comes alive with dolls and flowers, and is opened to the public for three days. The tradition of this annual exhibition in the Sato house is already 20 years old and becoming widely known, attracting as many as 3,000 spectators each year. Hopefully this old home will continue to host this show for many years to come.