The Search For The Cure For AIDS: Glowing Green Cats Edition

Scientists, tirelessly continuing the search for a cure for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, have come up with an inventive new method for tracking HIV resistance in monkey species: by genetically engineering cats to include resistant genes.  The cool factor?  They have included bio luminescent genes from jellyfish to easily identify the newly resistant cells.  The result?  Cats that glow green:

The study, published Sunday in the journal Nature Methods, involved inserting monkey genes that block the virus into feline eggs, or oocytes, before they are fertilized. 

The scientists also inserted jellyfish genes that make the modified cells glow an eerie green color — making the altered genes easy to spot. 

Tests on cells taken from the cats show they are resistant to feline immunodeficiency virus, or FIV, which causes AIDS in cats. 

"This provides the unprecedented capability to study the effects of giving AIDS-protection genes into an AIDS-vulnerable animal," Dr. Eric Poeschla of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who led the study, said in a telephone interview.

I'm a big cat person, so I think it's rad that my kitty friends are helping to cure my disease (yes, I said kitty friends.  I'm that bad).  Plus?  I want a mutant green cat, RIGHT THE HELL NOW.

Thanks to reader Houston C. for the tip.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Meowed Up For Adoption In The UK

Harry Potter fans, beware!  Lord Voldemeowrt is real!!!!

This kitty lost his nose and ears to cancer.  Plus, he is an evil sorcerer with the largest collection of black caftans in the western hemisphere!!!  Just kidding.  He's just a cat. 

This sweet ball of felinehood hates fellow cats but loves people.  UK readers (and I know I have them) you can adopt him!  Click here to find out.

Idaho: Don't Be a Woman in This State. Just Don't.

Congratulations, Idaho!  You've proved yourself to be the dickbaggiest state when it comes to a woman's right to choose.

Planned Parenthood filed a complaint with the Idaho Board of Pharmacy alleging that on November 6th, a Planned Parenthood patient came to a Nampa Walgreens seeking to fill her prescription to treat uterine bleeding.  The patient was turned away because the pharmacist felt that the bleeding MIGHT have been the result of an abortion.

See, ladies?  Not a Macy's in sight.  Don't move here.

"The prescription was for a Planned Parenthood patient for Methergine, a medicine used to prevent or control bleeding of the uterus following childbirth or an abortion.

"'Methergine is not an abortifacient and it serves multiple purposes in postpartum care,' the practitioner wrote in her complaint. 'I believe the pharmacist wrongly applied the conscience protections.'

"The Idaho Legislature passed a law last year that gives pharmacists and other health care providers the right to refuse to provide any health care service or dispense any drugs that violate their conscience. Lawmakers could readdress the issue this session."

Apparently the pharmacist called the nurse practitioner that wrote the prescription to inquire as to why the prescription was needed, and invoked the conscience clause when the nurse refused to give the information based on patient confidentiality.

This is why laws like this don't fucking work.  How the hell is it my pharmacist's place to go seeking out my personal information?  It isn't.  Hey!  Morality police and whackjob fascists!  I have some advice for you:  Do your fucking job and leave your Bible at home.

[Idaho Press]

Hey Assholes! Help Me Find a Place for Calliope to Live!

Here's my shameless plea for help:  Calliope (my adorable cat) and I (pretty adorable too) need to rent a room in seattle for about $600/month.  Let me know if you hear of anything!

Because nothing is sad like this face being homeless: