Last year I was stopped in an intersection waiting at a red light when i biker on the sidewalk did'nt look in front of himself and by the time I saw him it was too late, he slammed into me. I'm happy I wasn't hurt too badly(even though it was quite painful at that moment). Cyclists on the sidewalk are dangerous and cyclists should know that. But at the same time, car drivers need to respect bicyclists rights on the road. More bike lanes would be a great incentive to get bicyclists who are scared off the sidewalk. I don't think fines are the way to go, however. I do think that cyclists need to follow the rules of the road. Pedestrians need to do this too! I've almost hit pedestrians because they jump out right in front of me when they have a red light and it is really bothersome...more restrictions need to be put on pedestrians who don't give a crap about themselves and others.

Pretty good turnout for the "Literacy 'Freeze' You" event. It was more regimented than other flash mobs I've been a part of, with organizers coordinating freezer positions, announcing the time to freeze by megaphone, and giving out free t-shirts.
Although many freezers (myself included) brought books, organizers asked us to pose with a Center for Literacy pamphlet instead.

I would like to add my perspective as a medical researcher who has been involved in stem cell studies for the past 5 years. The fact is, the only difference between an "approved" (whatever the approval body) and unapproved technique is that it has been approved. This rather simple statement hides all of the issues that may go along with getting approval for an innovative treatment, some of which have been already been discussed here. One thing is certain - lack of approval is not proof of lack of demonstrable safety and efficacy, and approval does not mean safety and meaningful efficacy is present (just look at the numerous FDA approved drugs that were later withdrawn, usually with a sordid tale of scientific jiggery-pokery associated with them).
It is reasonable for the ICMS to try to help sort out, among the unapproved techniques that may offer real results, the more bona fide treatments from the actual snake oil. This gives consumers some degree of expert guidance in the market driven health care model that currently exists, and this can only be a good thing.
Governmental approval for innovative medical treatment serves as a financial barrier as much as a steward of public safety to innovators, and this fact must be at least acknowledged in this kind of a discussion, in my opinion.
Billions are wasted every year on pot boiler "research" that keeps well-oiled grant writing machines and the researchers they support in academic departments afloat. I can't comment one way or the other one the treatment described here, but I will say that $32K is a drop in the bucket of the money that is wasted on ineffectual "approved" treatments in a 5 minute period in the US every day.

Ah, good to see our Collin in something other than the police blotter. Dude, you really have to stop braising people's pets. That is clearly the thigh of a Saint Bernard you are chomping on.

FYI to Valetta/Adelizzi: Collin is not an idiot, he knows what sweetbreads are. In your rush to make a snide comment, you totally missed the point that he was making an analogy. Also, my comment about him eating dog is a joke, although a sick one admittedly.

Dear Profit in Unregulated Clinics. The ICMS is a nonprofit organization. It is not interested in profit. By law, it can't make a profit. What it is interested in is addressing your specific question about medical tourism. You are right, without oversight, there are huge opportunities for foreign stem cell clinics to promise the moon and deliver nothing. That is why organizations like the ICMS which strive to educate patients on what are good therapies is so critical.

If you sincerely care about patient safety, then stop condemning the only organization that is trying to help patients make informed decisions about stem cell therapies.

Dear Profit in Unregulated Clinics. The ICMS is a nonprofit organization. It is not interested in profit. By law, it can't make a profit. What it is interested in is addressing your specific question about medical tourism. You are right, without oversight, there are huge opportunities for foreign stem cell clinics to promise the moon and deliver nothing. That is why organizations like the ICMS which strive to educate patients on what are good therapies is so critical. If you sincerely care about patient health, then stop condemning the only organization that is trying to help patients make informed decisions about stem cell solutions.

The writer asks, "why, then, do there seem to be efforts afoot in Harrisburg to help the faltering casino afloat?"

Answer: Because the local investors are the governor's friends-Ron Rubin, Ed Snider, Lewis Katz, Peter DePaul, etc.

Major awww moment here. Thanks for the kind words! You guys are the twist in my Manhattan!

I applaud Mr. Ford for his clarity of mind and courage. Even if you look at this from a pure science standpoint, I think what everyone is forgetting is that while evidence based medicine is important, there are times that system fails. For example, there are countless therapies that work well for some patients and not others that could never make it through a trial that requires generalization of effect. At the same time, any patient with no traditional medical options should always be free to try options that may not have been proven safe and effective in large studies, but show promise in smaller studies or animal models. After all, this is exactly what happens in stage I/II FDA trials, patients with no or few other options are offered experimental therapies that worked in animals, but the effect is unknown in humans. The advantage of the clinical trials system is that it can over a number of years provide robust efficacy and safety data. This disadvantage is that it's an aircraft carrier that once set on it's beurocratic course, often leaves guys like this out in the cold. This is not an academic argument about the merits and problems with the FDA system (there are many many merits and problems), this is a real person.

The FDA has about as much authority over the practice of medicine as the FAA or the Federal Reserve (i.e. none). At the end of the day, terminally ill patients will travel to get their needs met, that's just human nature. This upsets the FDA, drug companies, and pharma sponsored organizations, but these are sick adults who get to make thier own choices. I applaud this poor grad student for taking control of his own destiny, whatever the eventual outcome of his stem cell therapy. I think everybody posting here on both sides of the debate would make the same choice if we they were in his shoes. Put the science aside for a minute and stare into his face, he's all out of big pharma and traditional medicine options.

I am the person profiled in the article. Thank you for all of the supportive comments. My decision to travel to China was not made without much research and much prayer. When my neurologist tried to dissuade me from "wasting my money" on stem cell therapy I asked myself, is that what she would say to HER son? "Sorry son, although there's a treatment out there that may help you, it costs too much and the data are insufficient to adequately evaluate is safety and effectiveness. So until the FDA gives the ok we'll just watch you waste away and suffer." Of course she wouldn't. She would travel the globe so long as there was some glimmer of hope that something could help her son. But she was more than comfortable saying it to me. I don't think she's a bad person. I do think she tried to speak intelligently on a subject she knows little about and she, like other physicians, refuse to accept that there may actually be an alternative to taking drugs for the rest of your life.

Let's be clear - adult stem cell therapy, particularly autologous therapys, is safe. This has been proven in numerous clinical trials conducted in the US and other countries. Adult stem cell has also been proven effective in treating several "incurable" diseases, most notably MS. Unfortunately, this issue is not discussed enough in mainstream media and the various types of stem cell therapies are conflated. This just exacerbates the confusion and fear that people harbor about trying something new. Just because the FDA hasn't approved it doesn't mean it's illegitimate. I've worked at major law firms, government agencies and studied politics, so I have some idea about how "legitimate" academic research is conducted and published, how certain policy decisions are made and implemented, and how firms with money profit from and thus protect those decisions. It's a game, and those with poor bodies can't afford to play.

I respect the argument of all who have posted an implore all to do what you can to bring more attention to the issue, regardless of your perspective. My goal is not only to raise money for myself, but also to raise awareness for everyone who suffers unnecessarily. If you visit www.rockysfight.com you will find a provocative photo of me that expresses, in part, my own struggle with disease and disability. Again thank you for all of your comments.

I absolutly cannot stand Mehta's personality...not to mention his obsessed eyes, Garcia does nothing for me... in all honesty Amanda Freitag should have won..she competed well against Flay when she was on the show. She is an amazing chef.. they really got it wrong this year.. what iron chef needs is new judges and to fire THE MAN WHO EATS EVERYTHING.

I have been a cyclist since 1982, I have raced both mountain and road. I am a true advocate across the board. I also feel that although the fines are steep, they are in order. the majority of cyclists will refine their riding styles accordingly. The jokers will continue to be jokers and as a result they will be fined. As for the license plate, well that is just stupid. In centre county,Pen State area, a registration sticker sufices that is placed somewhere on the bike frame. this also helps with theft as it is not removable with indication that it was there. In most European countries this is mandatory as well as fixed lighting both front and back. all issues of traffic law are applied and come with a fine. If we want more more rights as cyclists and more safety on the road then we must bear the responsability as a result. I see this an overall positive. SO please stop crying

I can say that I actually know the other people at the table, they are colleagues of mine, and they are mild and well-mannered people. Additionally, I have been to that establishment on many occasions and you can be sure that the service, especially on Sundays, can be terrible. For example, when dining at the bar (where the servers double as bartenders for a small crowd), I have found that after ordering your food, the server will not provide you with any flatware until you request it (even for dishes traditionally eaten with forks and knives such as steaks and pasta). Nor will they ask if you wanted any salt or pepper or condiments. Now it might just be that I was at the bar (talking to the server/bartender), but I think that some of their servers can be terrible. Furthermore, a few others at the table independently told me that the restaurant/bar was not busy and they were 8 of about 20 people when the 8 ordered only wings (which were on special, hence the low cost of the check) and salads. I know that wings only take a few minutes to cook and that salads are easy to make as well.

I don't know what exactly happened because I wasn't there. What I do know from personal experience is that the service at that bar can be terrible; it is usually empty in there, no matter when you go; and that the owner is making the majority of his money from the hundreds of college students who come down there to dance to crappy techno music after they have pre-gamed and to drink at the bar from no earlier than 12:01 a.m. to close.

And for anyone who is going to complain about the graduate students being cheap, I'd like to see you walk a mile in their shoes. With probable students loans to pay, making just a bit more than the poverty line, not to mention health/auto insurance, being frugal is an almost requirement of being a graduate student. I know. I am a graduate student.

George: Spoken like a true restaurant owner or cheapskate diner.

You missed the whole point.

It isn't always up to the server how much money is made. Great servers cannot rifle pockets of diner if stiffed, no matter how good the service was.

$$$$$ may be earned but diner can leave $ or 0 on the table.

This, of course, leaves a negative balance with which to pay all those people who have their hands in the servers' pockets with the blessings of the owners.

If you don't want to tip, stay home or pack a lunch until someone changes the tip rules and owners pay decent wages.

Everyone, remember, a great way to judge character of people is how they treat those who serve them.

And then....there's karma. LE

ICMS defenders seem to me just as interested in profit, much like plastic surgeons operating under the radar and in 3rd world countries. This is a complex issue and patients especially need to research with a critical eye and not a jaundiced eye. Just because someone has an MD after their name does not mean they are a stem cell expert. Appropriate regulation should not stifle innovation, and by the same token, innovator should not be afraid of regulation. See Science. 2009 Jun 26;324(5935):1664-5. "Medical innovation versus stem cell tourism." Stem cell tourism is criticized on grounds of consumer fraud, blatant lack of scientific justification, and patient safety. However, the issues are complex because they invoke questions concerning the limits of acceptable medical innovation and medical travel. Here we discuss these issues and articulate conditions under which "unproven" therapies may be offered to patients outside of regular clinical trials.

do it to it

Concerned, I think we share your general "concerns". ICMS definitely doesn't want to see people exploited and as a result already has a complete list of off shore sites, see www.cellemdicinesociety.org. The types of off-shore stem cell outfits you reference would never be accepted through the ICMS registry process.

My "concern" is that ISSCR is funded by big pharma, so it can't be entirely objective here. I think some of the big pharma pushback you're seeing on this board is because when the average American is given the choice of trusting their physician, big pharma, or an insurer, they usually trust their physician. Having said that, I think the ICMS and ISSCR goals are the same, educating patients so that they can make informed choices. These patients will seek care, so would you or I if we were in the poor man's condition. In that case, it's likely better to educate.

Not gonna lie, I have a major Felicia D. crush.

Of course I am sympathetic to this patient, but also very concerned that stem cell therapies are being sold around the world before they have been proven safe and effective. Isn't there a profit motive for these offshore companies selling their therapies? Of course there is! According to the International Society for Stem Cell Research, "Stem cell therapies are nearly all new and experimental. In these early stages, they may not work, and there may be downsides. Make sure you understand what to look out for before considering a stem cell therapy." Please see

Hey Isaiah - you might want to check this group out - it's been spontaneously organized and in less than 48 hours has about ~350 participating - and made the evening news

Would love to see a red bicycle icon for the redlights here. Would that actually begin to change behaviors, such as the sorry-but-it's-illegal rolling stop?

First they came for the fixie riders, but I was not a fixie rider, and I did not speak out because I was not a fixie rider made snide, petty comments...

Man, who cares. Fixed Gear bikes are for hipster doofuses who ride to show off. The only thing I regret about outlawing fixies is that the amount of hilarity that I will witness when these losers wipe out due to their own stupidity will decrease. Too bad.

These laws make sense for safety reasons, but the fines are ridiculous. The reason I ride is to save money. I'm in the process of selling my car because insurance, gas, and maintenance were killing me... Now I have to worry about biking fines that cost more than my car?! I'm not too worried though, because I think enforcement of these laws will be tough. I don't plan to change my biking habits...

These laws make sense for safety reasons, but the fines are ridiculous. The reason I ride is to save money. I'm in the process of selling my car because insurance, gas, and maintenance were killing me... Now I have to worry about biking fines that cost more than my car?! I'm not too worried though, because I think enforcement of these laws will be tough. I don't plan to change my biking habits...

State law supercedes county or city law. Hence this "law" is not really law. First person who gets an infraction due to this new "law" can take it to court and any judge worth his salt should throw the law out. Done.

Please also read the following article:

Pizza is GREAT! Hands-down one of the best pies I've eaten ANYWHERE. Eat there or eat it quick.

That's our girl! <3 Go Flea!

I love the sidecar!

enforce the laws already in place. also, please read "A Letter to Philadelphia City Councilman Frank DiCicco" @

I do not support bicycles on sidewalks. I am an avid cyclist. I would like you all to see my comments in the other post about this as well:





I do ride a fixed gear (and also a hand brake) but many riders can stop their bike riding fixed without a hand brake within 15ft, as the law expresses the brake should do.

I whole heartily agree with Lola but don't forget the damn cabbies. They are in a class of their own.

I would also like to express my support for Stop as Yield for Bikes. If Stop as Yield is not honored, I feel pedestrians should be ticketed for j-walking or crossing at an intersection when they have a red light/don't walk even when there are clearly no cars around.

If you want to be so strict with laws and promote safety, it has to be across the board.

Enforcement is fine. Augmenting fines, forced registration and confiscation is crazy. I follow the laws as it is, but god forbid I get my bike taken away - i cycle 10 miles each way to work daily.

The bottom line is that we all (pedestrians, drivers and cyclists) need to be more respectful of each other and the rules. Unfortunately, the only way that will happen is if the police begin cracking down on those who break the law. That said, I would much prefer it if they concentrated on all the erratic, distracted drivers who are on their mobile devices while driving or who don't understand city traffic laws. That and the cyclists on the sidewalk - which are completely unacceptable.

"Central Bicycle Enforcement Initiative"

Does that mean downtown? Great, yet more rules and laws which are enforced only in certain areas of the city.

If I have to obey all the laws, and get a license plate, I should then be able to take up entire lanes AND be able to ride on 676, etc. Right?
Please...

I am NOT opposed to enforcement of the sidewalk law. I enforce that now with elbows. If you are too scared to ride on the street, you shouldn't be riding. BUT, many of the sidewalk violators are BMXicans, and since a good number aren't legal, does anyone really expect that without proper documentation they are going to get licenses? They ride bikes because they don't have the docs to get drivers licenses for crying out loud...

I'm not against all the proposed laws, but some just scream fascist police-state and are an obvious pick on the little guy to make money scheme. Like our cops have nothing better to do? Or it will be enforced in part by the outsourced PPA?

We have easily the worst transit system in the country, the economy is shit, and now people who were going to find alternatives to paying for gas or dealing with SEPTA are getting attacked?

Ugh.

BTW, does anyone think that these bills are really just retaliation for the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets? There are a ton of angry drivers because they have to extend their commute 1 minute longer because they only have one lane (which many don't observe anyway). I think the politicos are using the two deaths as an excuse for the bills but really they hate that the cyclists got a win.

Elizabeth,

As a bicycle commuter in this city, the pedestrians don't follow the basic traffic laws either and maybe you have almost be hit because you are crossing against the lights. I don't know how many times I have almost hit pedestrians who think that is okay to step out in front of bikes. They wait for the car to pass and then walk out in front of me. I don't give way because I shouldn't, not when I am following the law. As we now know bikes can hurt and even kill pedestrians not to mention serious injure the cyclist. I hit a bozo 10 days ago because he did that very same thing and then had the nerve to call me a "faggot". Nice!!

The negative comments made here are from people who are power and greed motivated. There can be no other reason to try to block the way for safe adult stem cell treatment in the U.S. I too am embarrassed that this country has chosen to turn its back on those of us who have terminal and chronic diseases. This is condemning us to death when stem cell therapy can give us hope and better health in many cases. I never knew the power that Big Pharma and politicians held until I became co-founder of the Stem Cell Pioneers forum and started learning a lot about the stem cell industry. Doctors like Dr. Centeno are heroes to those of us that want a safe stem cell network of physicians all across the U.S. ICMS has come up with safe clinic guidelines and a patient registry. The FDA has come up with blockades and government red tape. There isn't even a clinical in the U.S. for my disease. Stem Cell Pioneers forum members have repeatedly contacted the NIH in the hopes of getting stem cell based clinicals moving, but to no avail. The young man in this article is right to leave the country to try to save his life. I have done the same thing, but many people I know cannot physically go to an offshore clinic or cannot afford the added expense. This entire discussion is not one we would be having in most countries. Only the U.S. remains the holdout in wanting to deny citizens a right to seek stem cell therapy with their own stem cells as an option to death. It's a public disgrace and anyone bashing the idea had better hope they or their loved ones do not ever find themselves in the position that many of us do.

Fun interview and Felicia looks SO pretty in that picture!!!

Lynn, the only guarantee a server signs on for when taking a wait staff position is their hourly wage. That's all, nothing more. Beyond that, it's up to them how much money they make. It's no different than taking a sales position. Hustle to provide great service and you can expect to make more money. Provide lousy service, expect a rock in your trick-or-treat bag. Just as with sales, the back end of the business makes a difference in the quality of service you're able to provide. If the back end is lousy, you're always free to look for another company to work for.

If you order steak and they serve you fish, do you pay for the fish?

Likewise, if you receive poor service, do you pay for good service?

This company just signed their death sentence. Not only is it now common knowledge that they provide poor service, they'll have you arrested if you don't leave a tip.

The editors made a great error by not including the website authored by Mr. Ford. He has made outstanding contributions to this world and it is hoped that someone out there will help him to have the opportunity to pursue his well researched and only option, Please contact him at

Solve problems like gun crimes, homeless people, domestic abuse, and potholes.

Most people that ride a fixed gear bike can stop much quicker than non-fixed gear bikes with traditional brakes.

Most hand brakes do not make the wheel skid at all.

please read this article if you think a fixed gerar rider does not have a brake, because they DO!

to quote:
'he “skidded to an immediate stop.� Then, he describes that the cops applied their hand brakes and slid past him. “One guy almost fell over. I had more control than they did,�'

Tipping is required as advertised. Period.
However, this is NOT a police matter. Do you mean to say I can call the police in on a neighbor who has borrowed my ladder ($100+) and won't return it?
Is this a Police State now in Bethlehem, controlled by Sands and the surrounding little businesses?
The police should be prosecuted before anyone else in this situation.

Why is this bad? Breaking the law on your bike isn't just dangerous for you, it's dangerous for all the other bikers and the pedestrians, because you anger drivers and do unexpected things like ride on the sidewalk. If you believe the laws are unfair, go ahead and break them, and take your ticket to court like a good civil disobedient. Otherwise if you want to operate a vehicle, motorized or leg powered, you have to follow the rules. I don't get why that's some awful injustice.