] If big pharma price-discriminates rationally, it
] guarantees the following query from some representative
] in some committee hearing: "How come a hospital in Lagos
] spends $1 for this pill, but the local Catholic hospital
] in my district must pay $5,000?" And, of course, in the
] Inquisition that is congressional testimony, there is no
] effective way to answer such a question.

Wired 12.02: Lessig says access to drugs in the third world not an IP issue

Decius wrote:
] ] The job market may not be booming. But for many in the
] ] college class of 2004, it won't be quite as dismal as it
] ] was for last year's grads.
]
] Some good news...

Looks to be about dead on.

My first job after graduating with my degree in chemical engineering payed about $50k... and this was a couple years ago.

I've definately found it to have been a very useful and valuable degree. Of course, I'm not actually working as a chemical engineer. But I still feel I learened more useful stuff (like time-value of money, statistical data analysis, etc) studying chemE than I would have studying something else.

RE: Most lucrative college degrees '04 - Feb. 5, 2004

A Dutch virologist warned hospital workers and health officials in Bangkok that pigs which feed on chicken droppings could catch bird flu. In turn, the infected pigs could pass the bird flu to humans....

Bird flu can infect pigs - (United Press International)

The disorder — fragile X-associated tremor-ataxia syndrome — causes tremors, balance problems and dementia that become progressively more severe with age.

This is the same Fragile X, as in Fragile X syndrome that causes retardation. (though in this case, according to the article it's a "proto-mutation" - I'm going to guess that implies the mutated segment is repeated more times than is correct, but not so much as to cause full-on Fragile X syndrome) This would therefore mostly be an issue for men in families with a history of Fragile X syndrome.

Women are at significantly less risk because they have a 2nd X chromosome, which would usually be free of mutation. Though it should be possible for a woman to be affected if both her X chromosomes had Fragile X mutations.

Anyway, a new neurodegenerative disease. You don't hear that every day.

New neurodegenerative disease identified

Singaporeans are ushering in this year's Lunar New Year with "lucky undies" emblazoned with monkey cartoon characters and traditional red prosperity characters, the Straits Times reports.

Now, where in SF can I get red "funky monkey" lucky underpants?

Singaporeans celebrate Chinese New Year with 'lucky undies'

A US fertility specialist told a packed press conference in London on Saturday he had implanted a cloned human embryo in a woman's womb, reigniting controversy over attempts to create the world's first cloned human.

Scientists scorn new human clone

"What if you're doing your due diligence on a transaction? It could threaten the whole deal."

These stories should not be news to anyone here, but I didn't know the technology had been deployed so extensively. I can't imagine there are too many business customers who are pleased to see this.

Some Rental Cars are Keeping Tabs on the Drivers

flynn23 wrote:
] It is with an extraordinarily heavy heart that I post that my
] good friend, Brad Blines, died on Thursday morning of a heroin
] overdose. Folks on memestreams will know him as crankymessiah.
] People from the 'scene' in Nashville will remember him from
] the days of Dragon Park, countless concerts and shows, and
] Predators games.
]
] Brad was one of the lights of my life. We shared the same
] giddy excitement over music, film, and creativity that few
] people can understand. We had that kind of brotherly
] relationship where you don't really have to say anything to
] hear the other person. I hope that I will be able to still
] hear his infectious laugh in my head for the rest of my life.
]
] Goodbye my friend.
]
] Brad Michael BLINES
] Nashville, TN
] Age 35
] January 8, 2003
] January 8, 2003. Survived by parents, Michael and Diana
] Blines; sister, Kristin (Richard) Vik; grandmothers, Bonnie
] (Lloyd) Holt, Ruth Allen; nephews, Ethan Richard Vik, Brennan
] Michael Vik. The funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. at
] Harpeth Hills Funeral Home with Bro. Doug Varnado officiating.
] Pallbearers will be Chris Scheele, Richard Vik, Michael
] Dodson, Rich Husband, Jim Folger, Ernie Simon. The Interment
] will follow at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens. In lieu of
] flowers donations may be made to the New Life Lodge.
] Visitation will be Friday 5-9 p.m. and Saturday 1 p.m. until
] service at HARPETH HILLS FUNERAL HOME, 9090 Hwy. 100,
] 615-646-9292

My condolences to you, Flynn23, and everyone who knew him.

RE: I am sad, and unhappy...

Most cool family tree of electronic music. Includes sound clips representative of each genre.

This is most cool.

Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music

Four robots performing a quasi-traditional Japanese fan dance and something of an N'Synch routine. These aren't the robots of the 60's.

'Dance, Will Robinson!'