Here’s the entry for “observed” from the Apple thesaurus:

I observed this wheelchair dude in the vestibule waiting for me.

Gizmodo wants to know the identity of “wheelchair dude”. Well, it’s me and I was sitting in that vestibule for ages. I keep telling people to call ahead if they’re going to be late. It’s not as if I enjoy hanging around in vestibules. If I’m going to wait for someone, I’d much rather do it in a foyer or antechamber.

A deaf British couple wants to have a deaf child via in vitro fertilization. However, a pending bill in Parliament would require fertilization clinics to discard all embryos found to have genes for deafness. Of course, the deaf community is up in arms, accusing the government of implying that deaf people are better off not being born. And it’s hard to disagree with that charge. I’m curious: what other genetic markers are included in the bill’s mandate for automatic disposal? Blindness? Cystic fibrosis? I don’t have a problem with parents choosing which embryos to keep and which to discard, but this bill veers uncomfortably close to government-enforced eugenics.

In the long run, qualms such as mine might be moot. We are approaching a point when genetic manipulation of embryos will be readily available, despite government efforts to impose regulatory controls. As with most things in life, the wealthy will have an easier time accessing these services, while potential parents from more modest economic means will have to take their chances with old-fashioned procreation.

My social calendar has been filling up with plenty of man-dates lately. I’m turning into a serial man-dater. Don’t get me wrong, I like the popularity. But I’m feeling the need to brush up on my inter-gender communication skills. Ladies, now’s your chance to experience The 19th Floor in its live format. Free drinks will be served. E-mail me to reserve your spot now.

Clinton’s wins in Ohio and Texas may have changed the psychological landscape of this primary season, but not the mathematical one. Obama is still the frontrunner and, barring a colossal fuck-up by his campaign, he is still likely to be the Democratic nominee. I don’t consider myself a Clinton hater and I have a hard time believing that she would allow her ambition to be the instrument of the party’s unraveling. But some of her tactics trouble me. When she says that she takes Obama “at his word” that he’s not a Muslim, she reveals the same penchant for deliberate ambiguity that nearly destroyed her husband. A few more insinuations like that and she’ll start sounding like Karl Rove’s long-lost sister.

We Obama supporters have to trust the process and our candidate. He’s run an exceedingly well-executed campaign and I don’t think that will change.

The final season of Battlestar Galactica doesn’t premiere until April, but legal blog Concurring Opinions engages in some highbrow geeking out in a series of audio interviews with the show’s head writers. They discuss BSG’s legal, political, and economic systems and give special attention to the show’s use of torture as a plot and thematic device. Showrunners Ron Moore and David Eick impress me with their thoughtful responses to the professors’ questions and they seem to have great synergy as writing partners. Here’s hoping they collaborate on future projects.

I’m curious as to whether the show has been cited or discussed in any law review articles. If Buffy and The Simpsons can provide fodder for academics, the same should be true for BSG. Perhaps someone out there with a Lexis account can do a quick search.