Happy Halloween to all.

Mark Yarnell is a high school classmate of mine, a fellow author and has his own Blog. Last year I read with interest one of his Blog entries decrying the near addiction we North Americans have with electronic devices. (Read the article and his Blog at this link. markyarnellblog.com/2008/05/07/dumbed-down-without-a-fight.aspx )

I was reminded of his article recently when I went to a movie with family recently. We sat near the top of one the stadium seating style theaters. At the end of the movie came a moment when the final solution was revealed. At that moment all the cell phones that had been so carefully silenced came out of pockets and purses. How amazing to look down and see the glow of all those cell phone and blackberry screens in the darkness. The need to find out what they had missed over the last 90 minutes was as compelling as that of a drowning swimmer breaking the water’s surface to draw breath.

How addicted are we to electronics? How much have we gotten away from the ability to sit quietly with our own thoughts? Emphasis on "we". In fact, I’m about to conduct an experiment for myself. The experiment is mandatory.

My desktop computer died. As a result, I’m going to have to take my laptop to a repair store next week to transfer the data from the desktop to the laptop. It will be interesting to do without a computer for a day or two. By the way, this is also your notice I’ll be off the web for a while.

Also, I’m scheduled to be interviewed by David Robertson on his internet radio show Thursday, Nov 5 at 1:00 p.m. His web site is www.AnAmericanWarning.com.

P. S. Last night's episode of Bill Moyer's Journal on PBS featured him saying if we are going to expand the war in Afghanistan, then we should go back to a Draft. Wonder where he got that idea?

Here in Nebraska of late a debate has re-emerged over stem cell research.

On one side are anti-abortion forces wanting the Regents for the University of Nebraska to restrict stem cell research.

On the other side are those favoring the research and its potential to reveal lifesaving cures.

Activating the debate is a new Administration in Washington advocating new, less restrictive guidelines than the previous Administration.

The anti-abortion groups protest the destruction of embryos as a taking of life.

The pro-research groups note the embryos, if not used for research, would be discarded. Those groups further contend adding restrictions to the research would make Nebraska a laughingstock among serious scientific researchers. Still, noting the sensibilities of the concerns of the other side, researchers note the possibility exists research may be conducted in a way that avoids destroying human embryos.

The anti-abortion groups hang their opposition on one basic premise. The premise . . .

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