Posted Thursday, February 12, 2004 by Gene

Only a matter of time
Scientists at Seoul National University in South Korea announced today that they've successfully cloned a human embryo.

I can hear the sabers rattling already.

Here's the thing: whether or not it's true today (I don't believe the findings have been verified) or true ten years from today, someday someone will do this. No laws, be they national or international, can possibly prevent it for the very simple reason that you cannot legislate thought.

Do you suppose that had world leaders been made aware, prior to the success of the Manhattan Project, that such a thing as an atomic bomb was possible, they could have prevented it from being eventually realized? Of course not. Once something is possible, somebody will try and do it, somewhere, eventually.

This is why I find all the hullaballoo over issues like this amusing. Sure, laws restricting research will make it difficult for the research to get done, but as long as someone can devise a way to do it, it'll happen.

The lid to Pandora's box never fits exactly once it's been opened.

Coming soon:
A law making it illegal to marry your own clone.

Breaking even
I know this is a silly thing to be happy about, but as of December's sales on The OTHER Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook I am officially making a profit. It took a year to earn back what I spent to get the book published.

I mean, we're talking about me being eight bucks on the plus side, so I'm not retiring or anything, but still.

Dear Howard Dean:
It's over, dude. Leave your votes behind and go on home. Please. You're kinda starting to creep the rest of us out.