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Botox's Popularity Means More Animal Testing

Annie Tomlin — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:00:00 PDT

Animal rights activists are furrowing their brows at this news. The number of mice used in one type of pharmaceutical test more than doubled between 2005 and 2008, jumping from 33,000 to 87,000 per year. The reason, according to some experts? Wrinkle-stopping drugs like Botox are increasingly popular.

Each batch of medicine requires the controversial LD50 test, which involves injecting mice with enough of a drug to kill half of them. The mice endure breathing problems, paralysis, and ultimately die from suffocation. Animal rights group, Humane Society International, says that an alternative method of testing is possible, but a spokesperson for Allergan, the maker of Botox, says otherwise. "Because of the biological nature of all botulinum toxins, and the minute amounts of product in each vial, the batches unfortunately need the LD50 test," she told the Daily Mail. "We are working hard to find a viable alternative, but we are not yet at that point."

Is the Government Mad For Not Testing More Cows?

YumSugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:45:27 PDT

Last Friday the Bush administration asked a federal appeals court to stop allowing meatpackers to test all animals for mad cow disease. That's right, the government wants companies to test fewer animals.

Currently, under Agriculture Department guidelines, less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are tested for the disease. Yet due to a lower court ruling, Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef has been granted the ability to more comprehensively test their beef. The government is hoping to stop Creekstone Farms by having the ruling overturned. They argue that widespread testing does not guarantee safety, and that companies are trying to create false assurances. They also stated that a false positive could scare consumers, and that testing would result in increased food prices.

Creekstone attorney Rusell Frye is not buying it and believes the government doesn't have the authority to stop companies from testing. He said:

This is the government telling the consumers, "You're not entitled to this information."

Call me crazy, but doesn't it seem like the more testing you do, the more likely you are to catch something wrong? The folks at Creekstone were supposed to begin testing last June, but because of this appeal the new testing process has been delayed.

So tell me, do you think companies should be allowed to test more cows? Or do you agree with the government and think that it causes false assurances?

Source

How Much Does Animal Testing Matter to You?

BellaSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:00:33 PDT

I love animals and have been a vegetarian for 12 years, but I admit that my medicine cabinet probably has some products that have been tested on bunnies, rats, dogs and guinea pigs. This has inspired me to do a little more research, which I'll share with you soon. For now, though, I want to know where you stand on the issue.

Source

5 Foods That Boost Your Memory

Prevention — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:17:12 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Mandy Oaklander, Prevention

Leave it to scientists to burst our bubble. For years, studies have told us that chewing gum can boost memory recall, and as such, we’d pop Chiclets during noggin-twisting times: exams, high school reunions, Jeopardy. Did it ever work for us? Honestly, we can’t remember - and there might be reason for that.

A study out of Cardiff University in the UK found that not only does chewing gum not help your short-term memory, but it also impairs it. Though there are certain activities that surprisingly boost brain health, gum chewing isn’t one of them.

In a series of three experiments, 97 university students were asked to recall either a short sequence of letters or identify the missing item in a list. They performed significantly worse when chewing gum, no matter how vigorously or how lazily they chomped. Researchers speculate that the tongue, mouth, and jaw movements of gum chewing disrupt short-term memory (For a fun way to refresh your mind, try these seven brain games).

Nine Surprising Reasons You Can’t Concentrate

You can still fight short-term memory loss, hand to mouth, with these five tricks!

18 Spring Activities to Get Your Geek on

Laura Marie Given — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:42:00 PDT

Whether you prefer to be in the kitchen or on the road, we've come up with several creative ideas to keep you busy this Spring. Looking for some new pastimes? From DIYs to nerdy day trips, we've got 18 fun, geeky ideas to get you through the season.

Have a documentary marathon: Not sure where to start? Check out Frozen Planet, a seven-part series from the team behind Planet Earth, to learn more about climate changes (and adorable animals!) in the Poles.
Become an amateur astronomer: Pick an especially clear night and look at the stars with the 5 Stars Astronomy Guide App. It's simple: hold your phone to the sky and you'll learn all about the constellation in front of you.
Host a Comic-Con party: Get your pals to dress up as their favorite comic book characters and go for bold, bright decorations. Keep your favorite comic-inspired flicks playing in the background and serve drinks in these Vintage DC Comic Tumblers ($125 for 6).
Try a coding class: Do a bit of research to find local coding classes at a community college. Sign up solo or invite your Internet-obsessed pals to join so that you can help each other learn the HTML ropes.

Keep reading for more geeky things to do.

Daily Tech: An Impressionistic Earth

GeekSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:42:40 PDT

NASA animation makes Earth into a Van Gogh painting - Geek.com
5 reasons The Hunger Games is creepier than you think - Cracked
Pinterest founder cancels his own account - BuzzFeed FWD
The 50 words New York City wants to ban from standardized tests, including "dinosaur" - Geekosystem
Guess the latest public person to join Pinterest - Tecca
Is Mark Zuckerberg hiding from investors? - Newser
A finger camera?! We'll take 4 - Dvice

Gorgeous Spring Hair and Makeup Ideas

BellaSugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:20:08 PDT

The freshest hair and makeup you have to try - The Fashion Spot
On a budget? Try these drugstore beauty bargains - Stylelist
DIY wedding makeup: a step-by-step guide - Refinery 29
Make that boring French manicure fashionable again - Beautylish
Anything and everything you need to know about eye shadow - Real Simple
Get your (affordable) new Vera Wang makeup - Styleite
Favorite MAC makeup discontinued? Here's how to get it back - InStyle
Don't believe everything skin care companies tell you - YouBeauty
See everything from Too Faced's gorgeous new collection - Makeup and Beauty Blog
Could animal testing ever become obsolete? - Beauty High

Photo: Becky Maynes

Check Out the Top Contenders For Best Cookbook of the Year

Susannah Chen — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:30:54 PST

Thousands of cookbooks were published in the last year, but which ones are really worth buying? The International Association of Culinary Professionals, or IACP, tackled the question as it announced its cookbook award finalists for 2012 today.

Among them: plenty of cookbooks from top restaurant chefs, like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, John Besh, and Andrew Carmellini, as well as new books from reputed publications such as Fine Cooking and Cook's Illustrated.

Cookbook winners will be announced on April 2 in an award ceremony hosted by Mo Rocca, where the honor of best cookbook of 2012 will also be announced. To see the entire list of award winners, keep reading.

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

Revamped Girl Scout Cookies: Vegan Peanut Butter Patties

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:02:06 PST

Forget about the partially hydrogenated palm oil and artificial flavors - this vegan peanut butter patty, inspired by the Girl Scout Tagalong classic, has all the buttery, peanut buttery, and chocolatey goodness of the original, minus the animal products and unpronounceable ingredients.

This recipe is definitely involved, but it's a fun way to test your baking skills and make something you are truly proud of. Think of it this way - Girl Scout cookies only come out once a year, so make this your special annual treat.

While it's not necessary to temper the chocolate, you'll see that it gives the cookies a sheen and snap that's attractive and delicious. Untempered chocolate will "bloom," meaning the fat of the cocoa will rise to the top, creating a white, dull appearance (like the cookie on the left). If this happens to you, don't worry! The cookies are still edible, so savor the efforts of your hard work.

Click here to see the recipe.