Wesley J. Smith

Many anti assisted suicide advocates worry that Idaho is on the pro-doctor prescribed death target list for legalization, probably by test court case, since there is not a specific law prohibiting assisted suicide.  A just filed bill, S 1070, seeks to change that.  From the bill:18-4017. . . . . Continue Reading »

Front page story today in the S. F. Chronicle on the great research building opening at UCSF for all kinds of stem cell research. Much was privately funded, which is great.   But tens of millions for the fancy-dancy buildings was paid for by the California Institute for Regenerative . . . . Continue Reading »

I just returned from visiting my in-laws in Vero Beach.  A good time was had by all.  And I must say, I understand the appeal of Florida—at least in the Winter.As is my wont, I shot a few photos.  Here’s  a sampling.The roof of the club house at my in-laws’ . . . . Continue Reading »

The American Society of Clinical Oncology is urging its members to be more candid with their dying patients and to discuss end of life issues sooner.  From the story:Patients don’t want to hear that they’re dying and doctors don’t want to tell them. But new guidance for the . . . . Continue Reading »

Early human trials with adult stem cells extracted from bone marrow have not worked as well as hoped. From the story:So it was with high hopes that researchers transfused stem cells into patients suffering from heart failure — people whose hearts, weakened by heart attacks or other conditions, . . . . Continue Reading »

A few days ago I complained about positive book reviews for a new book that partially involves explicit depictions of sexual intercourse between a chimpanzee and a woman, with the reviewers either lauding the bestiality or praising it with non damnation. I saw the acceptance of bestiality/literary . . . . Continue Reading »

Reading the Week in Review section of the NYT today, I came upon an interesting column about a new computer—dubbed Watson—that its developers hope will rise to the level of AI, defined in the side bar copied above.  Watson will soon be in a “Jeopardy” type . . . . Continue Reading »

NYT columnist Gail Collins is upset because many Republicans want to defund Planned Parenthood. But as usual with PP defenders, she whitewashed the problem. From her column:Maybe it’s all part of a grand theme. Last month, they voted to repeal the health care law. This month, they’re . . . . Continue Reading »

Secondhand Smokette and I are winging our way today to the Sunshine State for a several day visit to her parents. (So glad they don’t live in Chicago!) That will slow things down a bit here at SHS. I will not be posting as actively, although I will opine when I can. And more particularly, . . . . Continue Reading »

My pal Joseph Bottum has a disturbing piece in the Weekly Standard about the abortion abattoir in PA that I also discussed here at SHS.  I don’t want to revisit the details of that carnage, but want us to focus instead on the lower standards of regulation and/or professionalism required . . . . Continue Reading »