The news today is surreal

Surely the most curious statement I've found in the news lately is this:

Buffett said the changes are reflected in the results of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s subsidiaries. He said Berkshire's jewelry companies have suffered, but more people have been willing to switch to Geico to save money on car insurance.

Could Geico have paid for a better-placed ad?

A close second is this one:

President Barack Obama is ending former President George W. Bush's limits on using federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research, with advisers calling the move a clear signal that science — not political ideology — will guide the administration.

Good! It's a shame that "political ideology" should force university researchers to obtain "ethics approval" before engaging in any human-related scientific research. Science should never, ever be limited by ethical considerations.