Free Republic

“How can you side with those people?” In 2002, a paralyzed research advocate who actively supports embryonic-stem-cell and human-cloning research asked me this question. By “those” people she meant Christians, conservatives, and pro-life groups.  “It’s simple,” I said. “Why is it in our interest to sit in these wheelchairs for the rest of our lives so science can puzzle over safety problems linked to embryonic stem cells and human cloning, while ignoring the cells that nature designed for the treatments we need?” In the discussion that followed I explained why embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are inferior to adult stem...

Rear Adm. James Kelly assumed command of the U.S. Naval Forces in Japan today, replacing Rear Adm. Frederic Ruehe. The change of command ceremony was held aboard the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier at the Japanese port of Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo, where the U.S. 7th Fleet is based. Kelly becomes the second-most senior officer for the U.S. Navy in Japan following the 7th Fleet commander, Vice Adm. Jonathan Greenert. The 7th Fleet is the largest in the Navy, and is the only fleet that has its home port outside of the United States.

Poised for Liftoff Space Shuttle Discovery rests in full view on the launch pad. Image above: The rolling back of Launch Pad 39B's Rotating Service Structure reveals orbiter Discovery. + Click for larger image. Image credit: NASA/KSC Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-114, NASA's Return to Flight mission, is set for Tuesday at 10:39 a.m. EDT. The launch pad's Rotating Service Structure (RSS) was rolled away from Discovery at 3:38 p.m. on Monday. When in place, the giant enveloping appendage is used to install payloads into an orbiter's cargo bay and provide protection from inclement weather. With the...

"'It's going to make a mockery out of the nomination process for the Democratic Party,' said Boston City Councilor James M. Kelly. 'People come from across the country, and the purpose of them being here is to nominate a candidate for the party.' If Kerry goes ahead with the delay, Kelly predicted 'frustration and anger' among city residents and convention delegates who find, on top of traffic jams, that their part in history has been taken from them." (Jenna Russell and Patrick Healy, "Kerry Idea Finds Support; City Wary," The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/kerry/articles/2004/05/23/kerry_idea_finds_support_city_wary/, 5/23/04)

NEWARK, N.J. - A man who claimed he was molested by a Roman Catholic priest as a boy, then became an advocate for other victims, committed suicide by stepping in front of a train. Friends of James Thomas Kelly, 37, of Morristown said he was deeply hurt by the abuse. But they stopped short of saying that was the reason for his suicide on Sunday. Kelly was a member of SNAP, or Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and spoke often about his experiences. Kelly helped establish the group's New Jersey chapter, said Mark Serrano, a SNAP board member....

U.S. seeks Japan's help on Pyongyang By KANAKO TAKAHARAStaff writer Japan and the United States agreed Saturday that the two governments should hold a trilateral meeting with South Korea "at the earliest date" to discuss how to deal with the North Korean nuclear crisis, Japanese officials said.   James Kelly, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asia affairs, arrives at Narita airport Saturday for talks with Japanese officials over North Korea. The meeting may take the form of a session of the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group, a sub-Cabinet level meeting of the three countries, the officials said....

Breaking in Japanese. (Synopsis from the original Japanese language provided here for Free Republic): Senior official James Kelly from the State Department, on emergency meeting in Tokyo to brief Japan on North Korean nuclear situation, stated tersely to Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda and Deputy Chief Abe of Japan (including others in the meeting, Foreign Ministry, etc.) that communist renegade North Korea's development of enriched uranium as well as high speed development of Nodong Missile is for an attack upon Japan. "Japan is the target, and Japan is now entirely within the North's reach with Nodong", paraphrasing the Japanese report just...