Last-minute item:

It seems that the FDA is seriously considering making it illegal for us to have access to our own DNA information unless we go through a health professional. I do not entirely understand this, but they appear to be afraid that people will have a greater propensity to do precipitous and stupid things if they have direct access to the information. There is an article in WIRED, however, which claims that there does not appear to be any evidence to support this notion. It also discusses the issue in far more detail than I can manage here & now.

(...Besides, they think that people will refrain from doing precipitous and stupid things just because a doctor tells them about the information?? I mean, really...)

In any case, to whatever extent I understand this, I am not exactly amused.

It further seems that the window for public comment had closed or would have closed, but they have extended it a bit; the window, however, ends either tonight or tomorrow (I’m hazy on this), so if you are reading this on the evening of Sunday, May 1, 2011, you may want to comment. Here is a direct link to the submission page.

Good luck to all of us...