Age Of Obama Stem Cell Research Continues With Government Funding

Stem cell research began with a goal of being able to cure persons based on their own unique genetic make-up and healing inefficiencies by using harvested cells. This week, a federal appeals court said the Obama led federal government can continue to fund research involving human embryonic stem cells. The 2-1 ruling overturned a trial judge's injunction in August 2010 that barred funding for the research. Since 1996 and the last Bush Administration, Congress has barred federal funds for research in which human embryos are destroyed.

There are enormous scientific challenges, but the most debated points of discussion, government intervention and personal doubt, come from intense ethical inclusions such as privacy, consent and at times the withdrawal of that consent to use embryos for example in this evolving treatment application.
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Are Donald Trump and his fellow 'birthers' racist?

(Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Warren Buffett downplayed on Saturday the idea of a first-ever dividend for shareholders, as he opened his conglomerate's annual meeting for tens of thousands of people.

Berkshire, which some estimate will have a cash pile of $50 billion by the end of this year, does not offer shareholders a yield, which most people have accepted for years. But lately, some have said shareholders might like the company to return cash.

"I'm not sure how many would," Buffett said, responding to a question from a scrum of reporters and shareholders following him through the exhibit floor of the Qwest Center in Omaha. Many of Berkshire's portfolio companies have booths on the floor, demonstrating and selling their products.

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RSS Feeds RSS Feed Syria Sends Tanks into Daraa

Witnesses in Syria report hearing heavy fighting in the city of Daraa, which has become the center of ongoing anti-government protests and the target of a deadly government crackdown.

Syrian soldiers were seen entering the city in tanks and armored vehicles Saturday, and sounds of gunfire could be heard in parts of the city.

The military deployment comes a day after activists say 62 people were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations across the country, including Daraa.

Rights groups say hundreds have been killed since protests first erupted six weeks ago.
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So Far, Few Complaints About Response to Tornadoes

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It has been the deadliest natural disaster on American soil since Hurricane Katrina. But the government response to the tornadoes that devastated the South this week has, at least in the first few days, drawn little of the searing criticism aimed at federal agencies back in 2005.

In numerous interviews in the low-income Alberta City neighborhood of Tuscaloosa on Friday, shortly before President Obama and other officials toured what is now an unimaginable wasteland, residents said they had few complaints about the handling of the aftermath by state, local and federal governments.

Many expressed mild frustration about limits on their access to damaged homes, the pace of road clearing and power restoration, and anarchic traffic jams caused by roadblocks and nonfunctioning signals. But most agreed that government and charitable agencies were coping as effectively as feasible with immediate demands for shelter, food, water and medical care, along with search and rescue operations.

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Daily Game Apr 30 - Mass Mayhem 3

Cause chaos and destruction with various weapons and explosives.

Mass Mayhem 3 is powered by dailygame.org

Bush, Saints expected to part ways

NEW YORK – Running back Reggie Bush's(notes) days with the New Orleans Saints all but came to an end Thursday night when the team selected running back Mark Ingram with the 28th overall pick in the first round of the NFL draft."It's been fun New Orleans," Bush posted on his Twitter page Thursday night.

Bush was not expected to return to the Saints next season regardless of what the team did because he has so far declined to take a pay cut when the subject was broached before the NFL lockout began. Bush is due approximately $11.8 million in the 2011 season in base salary and bonuses.

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Bush, Saints expected to part ways

"It's been fun New Orleans," Bush posted on his Twitter page Thursday night.

Bush was not expected to return to the Saints next season regardless of what the team did because he has so far declined to take a pay cut when the subject was broached before the NFL lockout began. Bush is due approximately $11.8 million in the 2011 season in base salary and bonuses.

Bush said in January that he didn't expect to return to the team. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 draft, he played a critical role in reviving the Saints after Hurricane Katrina and helped the team to the Super Bowl title in the 2009 season. However, Bush was constantly limited by injuries and never developed into a consistent pure running back. He played in only 60 of 80 regular-season games and missed eight games with a broken leg last season. He was more successful as a pass receiver, but the Saints aren't expected to keep him just for that skill at his current price, a source familiar with the situation said.

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Royal Wedding Vs. Warren Buffett Annual Meeting: How Do They Stack Up?

Deal Journal's affections are torn today. On the one hand, we are captivated by the royal wedding. On the other hand, we can't take our eyes off the preliminaries to the Greatest Show on Worth, the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting.

Deal Journal is breaking down which world event is more important, based on a highly unscientific ranking of categories of interest. Also: The Deal Journal team will be live blogging Saturday from the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. Catch us back here, and on Twitter.

Celebrity wattage:

** The nuptials of William and Kate are being overseen by British Prime Minister David Cameron, Elton John, Queen Sofia of Spain, movie director Guy Ritchie (the ex-Mr. Madonna) and soccer superstar David Beckham with his pop star wife Victoria.

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Dozens of tornadoes kill at least 297 people in South

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The tornadoes roared into cities like runaway freight trains, devouring houses, leveling entire neighborhoods and burying people who scrambled to get away under mounds of dirt and rubble.

The twisters ripped through six states killing at least 297 people -- 210 in Alabama alone -- in the deadliest outbreak of tornadoes in almost 40 years.

Rescuers used pieces of debris as makeshift stretchers for survivors. Relatives frantically tried to find family members who were missing. And those who did survive were in shock at what they saw around them.

"There's not a word for what you see," said Becky Russell, spokeswoman for the Salvation Army's Alabama-Louisiana-Mississippi (ALM) Division as she surveyed the damage in Tuscaloosa. "This has to be close to what a war zone looks like. I can turn in any direction and there is nothing normal standing."

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Prince William, Middleton wed in royal fashion

LONDON — The wedding of the century wrapped in about an hour Friday as Britain's Prince William married Catherine "Kate" Middleton in a storybook ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
The longtime sweethearts began dating while students at University of St. Andrews in 2002. Their on-again, off-again relationship, cemented by an engagement announcement in November, restored fascination and luster to a British monarchy on levels unmatched since the star-crossed marriage of Prince William's mother, Lady Diana, to Prince Charles in July 1981.
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riots break up in Kampala Uganda

11:50 EAT: The military and police are firing live ammunition and tear gas as they engage demonstrators in the eastern Uganda town of Mbale, more than 300 kiloemetres away from Kampala City. Shops have been locked, demonstrators are fighting back with stones, bonfires have been lit in some streets. Our bureau chief, David Mafabi, reports that the demonstrations started when civilians angered by what they say was the inhumane and violent manner in which opposition leader, Dr Kizza Besigye was arrested on Thursday started making themselves heard on Republic Street. When the police and army moved in, chaos erupted.

11:30 EAT: At the Law Development Centre demonstrators have taken to the surrounding streets paralysing both lectures and business. An eye witness , who is also a student at the Law Development centre says no lectures have taken place since morning. He says the situation has since cooled although there is heavy deployment of police and military in the area. "People were burning tyres and logs and roads blocked, tear gas was shot about twenty minutes ago, the place is not empty but mambas are patrolling up and down," the eye witness said.

11:26 EAT: Sporadic clashes between security forces and demonstrators that erupted early Friday morning spread across Kampala and its suburbs and gunshots are ringing from different neighbourhoods. People coming into the city centre for work and or business are fleeing back home as police and military take over streets with armoured vehicles.

11:00 EAT: The city centre is deserted. Heavily armed units from the Special Forces Group (presidential guard) are patrolling the streets.

10:30 EAT: Residents in Kireka are trapped in their houses as gun shots are fired in the air. Our Chief Sub-Editor Don Wanyama who is on the ground said that the roads in Kireka are blocked and no cars are moving. This includes the Kinawataka short cut. "I walked about 300m from my house but there was a lot of gun fire I and many others had to come back to the house," Mr Don said. Two kilometres further, Bweyogerere suburb is also in chaos. Motorists are being attacked with rioters demanding to know where there are getting the money to buy fuel.

09:10 EAT: Many residents in Kireka are trapped in their houses as gun shots are fired in the air. Daily Monitor's Don Wanyama who resides in Kireka has failed to make it to the office. He says the roads are blocked and no cars are moving.

08:50 EAT: "I came to town to do personal business but reaching City Square, all people are running. I also took off. There is a lot of teargas. It is worse at Kiseka market," Peter Asiimwe says panting, adding, "I don't know what is happening and I hate this mess."

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Daily Game Apr 29 - Infinite Tower Defense

An endless tower defense game. Survive as long as you can.

Infinite Tower Defense is powered by dailygame.org

PlayStation Network Breach: Sony Says Credit Card Info Was Encrypted

All we've heard so far from the PlayStation Network and Qriocity hacking debacle are bad things -- namely, that personal data, including user names, passwords, and possibly stored credit card information may have been compromised. However, here's something to ease your mind: all stored credit card info was encrypted.
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Nicollette Sheridan Gets Backup from Housewives Producer in Lawsuit Against Marc Cherry, ABC

A former executive producer of Desperate Housewives has entered testimony that supports Nicollette Sheridan's timeline of events in her wrongful termination lawsuit against ABC and creator Marc Cherry, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Lori Kirkland Baker, who worked on the ABC dramedy from May 2007 through May 2009, submitted a sworn declaration on April 9 that backs up Sheridan's claims about the order of events that lead up to her exit.

Nicollette Sheridan drops abuse claims from Desperate Housewives lawsuit

Sheridan, 47, filed a $20 million lawsuit in April 2010 claiming that Cherry hit her in the face and that she was fired from Desperate Housewives after she tried to complain to ABC, and because she is a woman.

"In fall of 2008, Mr. Cherry began talking with the writing staff, myself included, about killing off the Edie Britt character," Kirkland Baker said in her declaration, obtained by THR. "I have no recollection of any decision to kill off the Edie Britt character prior to fall of 2008."

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