Matters of Life and Death: Stem Cells, Death Penalty, and $3 Refunds at Wal-Mart!

Remember Proposition 71?  Of course you don’t, none of us do, not even Brad Pitt and he told everyone to vote for it.   You probably voted “yes” on Prop 71 in 2004, it approved $3 billion in funding for stem cell research.  There was a provision in there that prohibited researchers for paying women for their eggs.  This wouldn’t be a big deal except that the only way you can do stem cell research is with human egg cells and the only way most women will give those up is if they’re paid for them. Duh.   [SD Union Tribune]

The death penalty moratorium in California continues.  The California Supreme Court rejected California’s revised death penalty protocol.  You can read the opinion here or a summary at the [LA Times]

Some glitch with the Wal-Mart price scanning contraption means that Wal-mart owes California $1.45 million.  $1.45 million? For Wal-Mart?  They have that laying around in the change jar.  By the way, you may be eligible for a $3 refund. [Sacramento Business Jorunal]