Current Affairs

I had measles when I was a kid. It sucked. But I was lucky. We once had hundreds of thousands of cases a year in this country and hundreds of deaths. The disease has largely been conquered because of vaccinations. But now, it's starting to creep back, in part because of parents who have listened to ill-informed hysteria about a phantom link between the vaccinations and autism:

Ah, good old American free enterprise:

BOSTON - Two Massachusetts businesses are battling over the macabre legacy of a former Sunday school teacher who was accused in the hatchet deaths of her wealthy father and stepmother more than 110 years ago.

My new issue of Newsweek that came last Tuesday had the blurb "Summer Double Issue" on the cover. Goody -- an extra helping of liberal wisdom! But, no. I hefted the magazine, even counted the pages. Same old size. An editor's note explained: ". . . we will be back . . . on Aug. 25." Aha. "Double" issue means it has to do double duty. They're just taking a week off and being oh, so celver about how they tell us about it. No Newsweek for me this week! What a ripoff.

Wonder how many people who still have religious or philosophical problems with stem cell research will be pulled over to the other side by this?

Scientists at Advanced Cell Technology Inc., the Worcester stem cell company that is running out of cash, reported yesterday that they have created large numbers of red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells.

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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you were expecting to take a lot of long walks in your shorts and sandals this January and February:

Farmers' Almanac says cold winter ahead.

Never mind those pesky hordes of illegal Mexicans. America seems in danger of being overwhelmed by . . . the Amish:

LANCASTER, Pa. - The Amish are expanding their presence in states far beyond Pennsylvania Dutch country as they search for affordable farmland to accommodate a population that has nearly doubled in the past 16 years, a new study found.

The names we use mean something. If we use the terms the people themselves use -- such as "pro-life movment" and "pro-choice movment" -- we're being neutral. But if we change just one of them and start referring to either the anti-abortion or pro-abortion movement (though both of those terms are more precise), we're making a statement.

It's been a while since I've highlighted research dollars at work uncovering astounding things. This is a really good one:

Small women with long legs are the most sexually attractive to men, scientists claim.

Females such as Scarlett Johansson, Raquel Welch and Marilyn Monroe with short slender bodies, large busts and slim limbs have the ideal body shape, according to research.

Just an opinion for you to peruse, with no comment from me, on the state of American newspapers:

A quality news product will increase circulation.

Increased circulation will bring more advertising.

More advertising brings better profits and allows even more news quality.

I confess that I haven't followed very closely the "conscience clause" controversy brought on by some pharmacists who don't want to fill certain prescriptions -- the "morning after" pill and even other birth-control measures -- because of religious beliefs. I could see the arguments on both sides and haven't felt any pressing need to jump in. But now doctors are getting into the act: