And in the recent good news category...

Obama Issues Memorandum that Hospitals Must Grant Same-Sex Visitations, enforcing it as a requirement for hospitals receiving medicare and medicaid funding, which is most of them. Memo also allows any patient to designate a friend or distant relative as a surrogate decision-maker. I think this is an excellent step on the part of the president.

And speaking of presidents, Grinnell College has announced that its new president will be Dr. Raynard S. Kington. Kington is currently the deputy director of the National Institutes of Health and sounds like he will breathe new life into the school's commitment to social responsibility with his extensive range of knowledge and experience in scientific, health, economic and social issues. The previous president was very focused on fundraising and building new construction on campus, which was no doubt good for the school (nostalgia for the old buildings aside) but was not what I thought was most important to the Grinnell experience.

Dr. Kington will take his post as President of Grinnell College August 1st, and will be moving to town this summer with his life partner Dr. Peter T. Daniolos and their two sons. Pictures of the family in the most recent Grinnell Magazine were quite heart-warming; I have no doubt the two little boys will soon be the darlings of campus. I am very pleased by this decision on the part of the Board of Directors, and I wish the best to Dr. Kington and his family.

zer_netmouse tweets of the day

• 13:22 Friday we had dinner at Sheesh on Main st in A2. Everything was fabulous except the meat pies. Skip them. #
• 13:23 @uriel1998 that's a good idea. I will see about recording the presentation. #

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