Note: The older the entry, the unlikelier outside links are to work.

Well, not exactly. But at least the Koreans are getting somewhere with stem-cell research. It's interesting how cloning is actually one of the least important technological advances that will be made in the near future (think artificial intelligence, genetic engineering or nanotechnology), yet it is the one that gains the most attention. I really don't see what the problem with clones is, I mean we're not killing off identical twins, are we? Besides, the medical benefits to be reaped from stem-cell research might prove enormous, making Bush's decision to effectively ban it in the US very short-sighted. Happily, scientific freedom in Finland at least is in higher respect.
And now to the real point of this post: forwarding funny comments (supposedly) made about the Korean breakthrough:

South Korean scientists successfully cloned a human embryo, a procedure some feel is unethical. What do you think?

Fred Watson, Systems Analyst: "I applaud this scientific breakthrough, as long as they don't use it to clone more Hitlers. Maybe one Pol Pot, if they absolutely have to, but no Hitlers."

Nicole Henderson, Registered Nurse: "No thanks. I prefer the kind of stem cells you produce from getting laid."

Billy Cook, Social Worker: "I just told my 3-year-old that babies come from cabbage patches. How the hell am I going to explain this?"

Justin Barnes, Bartender: "So a future in which I can clone myself, hunt myself down for sport, and then claim it wasn't murder because it was only me that I killed is just around the corner?"

Harold Price, Music Director: "Finally, someone invented a way to make more Asians."

Rose Coleman, Window Trimmer: "This has limitless scientific possibilities, which means one thing: We must keep Christians from finding out about it."

A good friend of mine wants to desperately move to the USA. If you can, help him out. Who knows, if you're American, you might be wanting to move out of your country sometime before 2016 and the end of Jeb Bush's second presidential term.
If you're unsure of Dave's qualifications, your mind should be changed immediately when you hear that he's also behind our now-world-famous kekkuli logo up there. Originally, the idea was to change the logo frequently, but I'm just too lazy to do so. I still have a number of kekkuli-logos on my hard drive (and it seems I'm not the only one), many of which have gone unused for years. Perhaps there's is a reason behind everything, and even though they were never used on this web site, the logos will impress some fat-cat American executive and land Dave that dream job of his. All fat-cat American executives out there reading this, raise your hand. Didn't think so.

To balance off the strongly US-favourable stance of Dave's website, I should repost a link to another friend's website, which is a wee bit less enthusiastic. We strive for balance here at kekkuli, that's what we're known for. Although both persons behind these websites despise Bush (the other one being a bit more overt about it), like most breathing lifeforms. So there is a limit even to our objectiveness: As if I would link to any favorable view of Dubya.

Especially with the current US president, you often get the sense that you'd do a whole lot better job at running a country than the dumbnuts who are doing so today. Well, turns out I'm right. I recently came across this very cool site, NationStates, where you can create your own country and run it however you please. All you have to do is spend a few minutes per day to make a decision on a single issue. I haven't played for too long yet, but I've already legalized euthanasia, same-sex marriages and therapeutic cloning. Check out my country, Abatia and see how your country turns out. Of course, you might just want to have fun and take the extremist path. It's up to you.

We here at Kekkuli have also often fallen into the trap of passing on stories, supposedly real, that just seem too good to be true. And unfortunately, most of the time they are. Recently, I've really started to appreciate Snopes.com, which has an extensive database of urban myths. I've developed a healthy habit of running everything through their site before passing it on as an actual-item. Still, there are always those cases where you can't really be sure, and even Snopes can't help you out. For example, do you think these headlines have actually ever appeared in a real newspaper? Or what was the real reason this woman was pulled over? Still, amusing stories make for a good read and might brighten up someone's day, so no point in not passing on a good story just because it didn't really happen. Nobody likes a wiseguy.

It tells you something about the power structures in this world that the presidential elections in a faraway country can seem more important than your local elections. Unfortunately, that's how things stand and we outsiders have to rely on the wisdom of the American people (I'm saying that with a straight face, honestly!) Hopefully, the Anyone-but-Bush (better known as the Democratic Party) camp gets the upper hand this time, but the odds are against it. Although in a recent poll, John Kerry would have beat Bush by 7 % if the election were held today. That's probably the single best reason for supporting him rather than any of the other Democratic candidates.

Still unconvinced that Bush is such a bad president? Then you'll probably enjoy these graphics enormously.