We often take our eyesight for granted until it’s too late. More than 1.7 million people over the age of 65 are afflicted with age-related macular degeneration, taking away the precious gift of sight. The loss of function in retinal cells can lead to impairment or total loss of vision. While scientific advances to treat diseases of the eye are constantly being made, approximately 65,000 people in the United States are affected by the most common types of retinitis pigmentosa.

As its name implies, StemCells Inc. (Nasdaq: STEM) concentrates on the discovery, development and commercialization of cell-based therapeutics to treat diseases affecting the central nervous system and liver. The company today announced that its HuCNS-SC product candidate, when transplanted into a well-established animal model, can protect the retina from progressive degeneration, which can lead to the loss of vision in age-related eye diseases.

The study was conducted by Dr.

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French political philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy has a very passionate article of conclusions about the war in today's Wall Street Journal: - Western public opinion fell with disconcerting facility for the thesis advanced -- from the very first day -- by the Kremlin's propaganda machine. We know now that the Russian army had been hard at work on its war preparations since before Aug. 8. We know that it massed at the "border" between Georgia and Ossetia a considerable military and paramilitary logistical presence. We know the Russians had methodically repaired the railroad tracks that the troop-transport trains were to take, and we know that at least 150 tanks went through the Roky tunnel separating the two Ossetias the morning of Aug. 8. In other words, no one can ignore the fact that President Saakhashvili only decided to act when he no longer had a choice, and war had already come. ...

The market is cheap on earnings.

The subprime issue is contained.

That’s been the mantra. I think the mantra is wrong. While the overall market is not expensive on earnings, certain parts are a lot more expensive than they look. Why? Well the earnings growth estimates are a hoax right now, specifically in the financial sector. Do they really know what’s on their books? Do they really know their exposure? How would they know? Can some of these mortgage companies look into the hearts and minds of their newfound (2005/2006) borrowers and tell who is going to default? I know they exported much of these risks in CDOs to hedge funds, but their is still exposure - but no one knows how much. So their earnings are at serious risk.