That's an interesting comment coming from someone who vehemently defended his/her right to spend $250 on one sushi dinner yesterday... I actually agree with you, *I* wouldn't (and we didn't) spend stupid amounts of cash on a diamond ring because it's not my style and we'd rather save for a…

Ooohh, I've gotten some stuff from KD dance before! That is great news!

Yeah, I've been getting basics from AA for years, but I'm 31 now and kind of aging-out of their stuff. I went in the other day and couldn't find my favorite T-shirt dress that I've bought every summer for 7 years - guess those are out and chiffon crop-tops are in?

Thanks, these links are really useful. You are totally right, I should get over it and spend some QT with the internet :)

That link looks really useful - I will forward that to my friends who have kids. One of my good friends will only dress her kids with US or European made clothing, mostly because (apparently) there have been some poisons or something found in the ink used in clothes made in China? Or something? Anyways, thanks!

Is this information easy to find? I just did a quick google search on "J Brand jeans manufacturing", one designer that I have heard makes their stuff in the US, and found only a few scattered and easily-fudged mentions in fashion articles from 2011. Also, should I just assume that if something is made in Bangladesh or…

Those are some pretty slim-pickings :( Thanks for the links though. Interestingly, the second one has a T-shirt that costs $9.99! I don't necessarily want to be made in the USA; I would love to support growing economies as well.

I would *gladly* pay more for clothes that are ethically made and good-quality - but how can I find them? It is my understanding that even "high end" designers use these sweatshops.

Why do you care when other people have kids? How does it impact you personally? Pretty sure the type of woman who puts off child-rearing until her 30s is well-educated enough to understand basic fertility, you don't need to offensively and arrogantly illustrate with a stupid gif.

It's now blossomed into a protest of every group that is not represented by the current religious-leaning government. The PM is becoming more and more dictatorial by amending the constitution, jailing dissenters (people were just arrested for tweeting!), and basically ignoring the substantial minority block of…

Yup - I'm a US citizen, and my foreign-born-graduating-with-his-engineering-PhD husband said that once he put "green card holder" on his resume, the response rate to job applications were like night and day. Although, one of his lab mates is on an F1, did an internship at [insert big tech company here], and they gave…

So much of our body shape and fat distribution is genetic; environment plays more of a role in how much fat we have, but not where it goes! I'm the opposite of you - my thighs have never touched when I stand or rubbed together when I walk, regardless of fitness/alcohol & pizza consumption levels, but it is impossible…

Geez, you got attacked. Reading this thread reminded me that I need to get back to writing my papers (you know you're procrastinating when a pubmed search turns into Jez!), so thanks for that! Totally get what you're saying - it happens at the undergrad level as well. For example, a student whose mother is an MD who…

I am defending or attacking, just explaining. Most of the time, the holders of biological patents allow use of their discoveries through licensing. In fact, that is how many research universities (the "good guys", I guess) get a good chunk of revenue to continue to fund more research and also for their general funds…

Yeah, there should be some sort of licensing requirement, particularly for research institutions and/or if the patent holders aren't utilizing the extent of their patent rights at the detriment of patients' health. I am with you on frustrations with uninformed ranters; I can't even watch cable news anymore, even for…

The article was not written by a scientist. Researchers can study BRCA1/2 to their hearts' content, but they cannot use genotyping/sequence for diagnostic purposes. I am guessing the author is referring to "alternate testing" as a second opinion, as in a different company looks for the same mutations, or additional…

I am not sure what "alternative testing" means, but Myriad patented the use of genotyping/sequencing the genes for the purpose of identifying mutations as a diagnostic tool. I am actually not pro-Myriad - I think they should allow for licensing or for others to test the mutations they are not testing, looking forward…

I am not taking Myriad's side on this really - I agree that it is unethical for them to have a monopoly over a test and not allow for licensing, or provide comprehensive testing for all mutations. I think the Supreme Court case will be crucial to drawing lines between ethical behavior and incentives for innovation.…

A simple wikipedia search: "In the United States, patents on genes have only been granted on isolated gene sequences with known functions, and these patents cannot be applied to the naturally occurring genes in humans or any other naturally occurring organism". Patents are granted on a novel *application* of a gene,…

Patents on genes aren't for "something that already exists"; it's for a technology that specifically uses that gene in a novel way. I can go in my lab and PCR BRCA1 and clone it to my heart's content, but I can't perform the exact same test that Myriad does and charge people for it because they patented that…