Sagamore Road

On the way to work on Martin Luther King Day after 3 days of snow.
Right in front of our house.
Taken by Nikon 28Ti with Fujifilm Velvia 100, Jan 19, 2009

Obama reverses Bush's stem cell restriction

BBC news

US regulators have cleared the way for the world's first study on human embryonic stem cell therapy.

The move comes three days after the inauguration of President Barack Obama who has been a strong supporter of embryonic stem cell research.

Since 2001 there have been limits on federal funding for stem cells.

Geron Corp, the biotech company behind the research, plans to initiate a clinical trial in patients paralysed due to spinal cord injury.

The BBC predicted last week that the White House would reverse the restrictions placed on stem cell research once President Obama took office.

The US Food and Drug Administration gave the go ahead for the research on Friday.

History has not ended

"Congratulations, Mr. President." Chief Judge John Roberts said after swearing in Barack Obama as the first black US President. This is the very first but most subdue remark of the making of this history.

Overlooking the National Mall from the Capitol, Barack Obama is giving his inauguration speech in front of over a million people.

The cold

It is freaking cold here. The warmest time is -5degC and coldest -20degC. I still remember my first winter here was also very cold and snowy. A very bad snow storm hit in late October, and I spent 1 hour to dig my car out of the snow using my neighbor's shovel. By the time we turned the calendar to December we had already been buried in snow for one whole month. So when I saw the photo of December, which was otherwise a lovely snow scene, I thought they should use some summer scenes for the winter, just to make people who get stuck feel warmer.

Athens, Greece. May 2006

140-years-old lobster freed

Large lobsters are usually too big to get caught in trap

A lobster believed to be some 140 years old is to be freed from the confines of a tank at a New York restaurant.

George the giant lobster, weighing 9kg (20lb), will be returned to the ocean, from where he was caught two weeks ago.

More on BBC news.