And then there were 4

California's stem cell initiative has provoked another political battle, but this time it isn't over the ethics of embryo research or the potential for conflicts of interest in the awarding of grants. Rather, it is over which city will be chosen as headquarters for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

CIRM set off a bidding war among 10 cities by publishing a request for proposals for its headquarters. The RFP listed criteria that applications would be judged on, including proximity to an international airport and high-speed Internet connections. CIRM also dropped heavy hints about its willingness to accept freebies. ...