MaxedOutMama
Monday, November 29, 2004
The reality-based community drools again
Most of you have probably seen some news story or another about the woman with the back injury who is now walking again. South Korean researchers say they injected stem cells from cord blood directly into the injured part of her spine. The stem cells used were taken from umbilical cord blood frozen after the birth of a baby and then cultured. It will be many years of study before this concept is proved out, I suspect. (Research also continues apace on the use of embroyonic stem cells - here is a link to a current encouraging experiment in mice.)
Many hospitals in the US now offer parents the option to freeze this blood at the birth of the child. The cells from the frozen blood have been used in cases of leukemia to try to generate new healthy blood marrow. Because there is a total match from cord blood, anti-rejection drugs need not be used. This is a huge advantage. The downside is that there is not a whole lot of stem cells in cord blood, and reading in between the lines, it seems as if the South Korean scientists were replicating the stem cells for this experiment. I don't know the exact risks, but I do know some experiments with embryonic stem cells have caused other problems, and that cord stem cells are suspected to be safer to work with.
Yesterday I went to sleep thinking that the story about the South Korean woman was great news if a little dubious. It occurred to me when I woke up this morning, though, that Democratic Underground (being an organization composed of extremely reality-based members), would probably have something to say about this from another perspective. Somehow, in some way, I was guessing, this story would be given an anti-Bush spin. I have noticed before that some Democrats seem to have their own version of reality, and fight like tigers to maintain it in the face of any unfortunate contradictory indications.
I struck DU gold with my first click! I will present a short sampling for your viewing pleasure, but I can assure you that this reality-based thread is a fine DU vintage to be sipped slowly, savored sweetly, and drunk to the last frothing drop:
Laura will be so upset. This may give people false hope.
Science TRUMPS religion again
Amen, amen!!!
(Here one James T. Kirk, possibly influenced by his long friendship with his scientist friend Spock, attempted to introduce a note of reality into this discussion):
So, you are saying that umbilical cord stem cells are against a religion? Which religion opposes stem cell research using umbilical cord stem cells?
Perhaps you were thinking of embryonic stem cells, to which the miraculous (and dubious) cure were NOT attributed.
(But no note of fact can be permitted to disturb the sublimely reality-based community)
No I am saying that science has found the next step in curing people in spite of sanctimonious hypocrites trying to impose religious values on the rest of us. aWoL worships one thing only MONEY.
Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a country that supports advances in medicine and technology? Under the Smirker, we are going backwards . It won't be long before the United States is no longer the only Superpower.
(I have noticed before that the reality-based community is extremely geographically challenged - think of Streisand faxing memos to poor Gephardt about Iran.)
How wonderful for China which will hold whatever patents are filed on this.
Perhaps stem cells can be used to grow Mr. Bush a heart.
........Or for that matter, a functioning frontal lobe would also be quite an improvement.
Stick that in your pipe & smoke it, you science-hating Xtian dumbasses Let the FLOOD of hypocritical paralyzed Xtian fundies BEGIN! Ooops, I'm sorry...I forgot, you aren't eligible to receive treatment because of your RELIGIOUS beliefs.
(Another person intervenes, desperately attempting to introduce elements of objective reality into the reality-based community. This one may be a doctor, given that his or her handle is Bones_7672)
Uh, no christian i know opposes using umbilical cord stem cells. n/t
(But the reality of these people's community is far too strong to be overcome by piddling factual details, although we do manage to get back into the correct country.)
God will punish the South Koreans for this outrage.
Maybe thanks to Bush, we got beat by S.Korea
If Bush had acted soon enough on stem cell research maybe like four years ago this success could have been an American success. Economically AND scientifically Bush has sunk us to second-world status.
(James T. Kirk, patron saint of lost causes, tries once more.)
What are you talking about? It was UMBILICAL CORD blood. Stem cells are collected from the blood in the umbilical cord after birth. How does this have anything to do with killing babies?
(There are some battles our fearless Captain can't win even with Corbomite. Spock has probably already keeled over from shock at the illogic.)
Yeah, but do they have cheese sandwiches with the Holy Virgin's face on them in South Korea?
Holy crap! That is friggin' amazing! Living goddamned proof that we need it legalized again in the USA! F***ing Bush...
(Here a guy named Intermixx gets into the fray. I suspect Kirk is off cradling Spock's prone form, yelling for Bones to do something. Intermixx must be Scotty!)
It is legal ya buffoon.
Note that this (which may entirely be a load of manure) was performed using cord stem cells. From what I've been reading lately embryonic stem cells are practically uncontrollable and therefore useless. Cord Cells and even adult stem cells show much more promise than the old baby killin embryonic kind. Despite all the hype, the religious right may come out on the correct side on this one. Bozo me.
I was all for embryonic research until I quit listening to Mrs. Reeves and Michael J Fox and started doing my own research. Again, keep in mind that this whole article may sit on a throne of lies.
(Fire the phasers, Scotty. There is nothing to do but STERILIZE, STERILIZE these imperfect life forms.)
But good old fashion American spin and sell. The fact seems to be that the rest of the world did it's homework, and now doesn't need us to open new frontiers. Thanks george.
Without Jerry Farwell commanding the woman to walk via some sort of head slap, moron won't listen and say it's voodoo medicine.
(You can't keep a good starship down. What follows must be Uhura. You can tell because she speaks with a note of calm authority. But the screen-name is Wunderkind, so maybe it's Wesley. Maybe the original Enterprise has been sent wheeling crazily into a sun by the dizzying flood of irrationality.)
Get the Facts Right
1. This research, if it is authentic, was conducted using stem cells extracted from umbilical cord blood. Not even the most avid religious zealot objects to this type of research because it does not result in the creation or destruction of a human embryo.
2. Embryonic stem cell research is not banned in the U.S. Scientists must simply choose between receiving federal funding and working exclusively on the lines designated by the President in 2001 or having the freedom to work on any embryos but without federal funding.
And don't just assume that this wonderful story must be a hoax because it goes against what you wanted/expected to see happen.
Many hospitals in the US now offer parents the option to freeze this blood at the birth of the child. The cells from the frozen blood have been used in cases of leukemia to try to generate new healthy blood marrow. Because there is a total match from cord blood, anti-rejection drugs need not be used. This is a huge advantage. The downside is that there is not a whole lot of stem cells in cord blood, and reading in between the lines, it seems as if the South Korean scientists were replicating the stem cells for this experiment. I don't know the exact risks, but I do know some experiments with embryonic stem cells have caused other problems, and that cord stem cells are suspected to be safer to work with.
Yesterday I went to sleep thinking that the story about the South Korean woman was great news if a little dubious. It occurred to me when I woke up this morning, though, that Democratic Underground (being an organization composed of extremely reality-based members), would probably have something to say about this from another perspective. Somehow, in some way, I was guessing, this story would be given an anti-Bush spin. I have noticed before that some Democrats seem to have their own version of reality, and fight like tigers to maintain it in the face of any unfortunate contradictory indications.
I struck DU gold with my first click! I will present a short sampling for your viewing pleasure, but I can assure you that this reality-based thread is a fine DU vintage to be sipped slowly, savored sweetly, and drunk to the last frothing drop:
Laura will be so upset. This may give people false hope.
Science TRUMPS religion again
Amen, amen!!!
(Here one James T. Kirk, possibly influenced by his long friendship with his scientist friend Spock, attempted to introduce a note of reality into this discussion):
So, you are saying that umbilical cord stem cells are against a religion? Which religion opposes stem cell research using umbilical cord stem cells?
Perhaps you were thinking of embryonic stem cells, to which the miraculous (and dubious) cure were NOT attributed.
(But no note of fact can be permitted to disturb the sublimely reality-based community)
No I am saying that science has found the next step in curing people in spite of sanctimonious hypocrites trying to impose religious values on the rest of us. aWoL worships one thing only MONEY.
Wouldn't it be nice if we lived in a country that supports advances in medicine and technology? Under the Smirker, we are going backwards . It won't be long before the United States is no longer the only Superpower.
(I have noticed before that the reality-based community is extremely geographically challenged - think of Streisand faxing memos to poor Gephardt about Iran.)
How wonderful for China which will hold whatever patents are filed on this.
Perhaps stem cells can be used to grow Mr. Bush a heart.
........Or for that matter, a functioning frontal lobe would also be quite an improvement.
Stick that in your pipe & smoke it, you science-hating Xtian dumbasses Let the FLOOD of hypocritical paralyzed Xtian fundies BEGIN! Ooops, I'm sorry...I forgot, you aren't eligible to receive treatment because of your RELIGIOUS beliefs.
(Another person intervenes, desperately attempting to introduce elements of objective reality into the reality-based community. This one may be a doctor, given that his or her handle is Bones_7672)
Uh, no christian i know opposes using umbilical cord stem cells. n/t
(But the reality of these people's community is far too strong to be overcome by piddling factual details, although we do manage to get back into the correct country.)
God will punish the South Koreans for this outrage.
Maybe thanks to Bush, we got beat by S.Korea
If Bush had acted soon enough on stem cell research maybe like four years ago this success could have been an American success. Economically AND scientifically Bush has sunk us to second-world status.
(James T. Kirk, patron saint of lost causes, tries once more.)
What are you talking about? It was UMBILICAL CORD blood. Stem cells are collected from the blood in the umbilical cord after birth. How does this have anything to do with killing babies?
(There are some battles our fearless Captain can't win even with Corbomite. Spock has probably already keeled over from shock at the illogic.)
Yeah, but do they have cheese sandwiches with the Holy Virgin's face on them in South Korea?
Holy crap! That is friggin' amazing! Living goddamned proof that we need it legalized again in the USA! F***ing Bush...
(Here a guy named Intermixx gets into the fray. I suspect Kirk is off cradling Spock's prone form, yelling for Bones to do something. Intermixx must be Scotty!)
It is legal ya buffoon.
Note that this (which may entirely be a load of manure) was performed using cord stem cells. From what I've been reading lately embryonic stem cells are practically uncontrollable and therefore useless. Cord Cells and even adult stem cells show much more promise than the old baby killin embryonic kind. Despite all the hype, the religious right may come out on the correct side on this one. Bozo me.
I was all for embryonic research until I quit listening to Mrs. Reeves and Michael J Fox and started doing my own research. Again, keep in mind that this whole article may sit on a throne of lies.
(Fire the phasers, Scotty. There is nothing to do but STERILIZE, STERILIZE these imperfect life forms.)
But good old fashion American spin and sell. The fact seems to be that the rest of the world did it's homework, and now doesn't need us to open new frontiers. Thanks george.
Without Jerry Farwell commanding the woman to walk via some sort of head slap, moron won't listen and say it's voodoo medicine.
(You can't keep a good starship down. What follows must be Uhura. You can tell because she speaks with a note of calm authority. But the screen-name is Wunderkind, so maybe it's Wesley. Maybe the original Enterprise has been sent wheeling crazily into a sun by the dizzying flood of irrationality.)
Get the Facts Right
1. This research, if it is authentic, was conducted using stem cells extracted from umbilical cord blood. Not even the most avid religious zealot objects to this type of research because it does not result in the creation or destruction of a human embryo.
2. Embryonic stem cell research is not banned in the U.S. Scientists must simply choose between receiving federal funding and working exclusively on the lines designated by the President in 2001 or having the freedom to work on any embryos but without federal funding.
And don't just assume that this wonderful story must be a hoax because it goes against what you wanted/expected to see happen.
