CA Researchers Make HIV Breakthrough
San Diego-area researchers say they've found a way to make H-I-V-resistant cells. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute say they tether H-I-V-fighting antibodies to immune cells, to create a resistant population.
They say these cells can quickly replace diseased cells, potentially curing the disease in a person infected with the virus that causes AIDS. The study was published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."
The researchers plan to team up with investigators at City of Hope's Center for Gene Therapy for evaluation and testing. Dr. Richard Lerner adds, "We at TSRI are honored to be able to collaborate with physicians and scientists at City of Hope, whose expertise in transplantation in HIV patients should hopefully allow this therapy to be used in people.”
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
First, A Bat In Bagged Salad, Now A Live Scorpion In Bagged Spinach!
The other day, some folks found a dead bat in their bagged salad. Now, a couple in Chevy Chase, Maryland says they found a LIVE scorpion in their bagged spinach. All was well until Sri Sindhusha Boddapati was making lunch.
“I saw something inside the bag crawling,” she explains. “I thought it was a cricket in the beginning, and then I noticed when it was [in] the bottle that it is a scorpion.” She was able to capture the scorpion in a water bottle, recorded video on her cellphone and sent it to her husband. Her husband came home, and took the bottled critter to the store, but says he was essentially ignored.
So he went to a local television station – and the store reacted. “Customer satisfaction is our highest priority,” the Giant supermarket chain says in a statement. “We regret any inconvenience to our customer. We take the quality of our products very seriously, and we are following up with the supplier to take every step to ensure this isolated incident does not occur in the future.”
Source: NBC Washington
Today is National Pet Day
April 11th is National Pet Day! If you don’t have any siblings to celebrate today, don’t worry – tomorrow you can celebrate your equivalent! Many kids treat their family pets like brothers and sisters, and 6 out of 10 American pet owners consider their animal to be part of the family. There are 86.4-million pet cats and 78.2-million pet dogs living in the U.S. – plus lots more gerbils, birds, turtles, and fish. So today, take some time to appreciate the pets that add joy to your life!
Today is Eight Track Tape Day
April 11thEight Track Tape Day (do you remember those?)! This is the day the world boogies! Throw in your your Tom Jones or Tammy Wynette eight tracks and get down to the music of the sixties and seventies.
Created in 1964, these cartridges were clunky, but they became popular thanks to the Ford Motor, which included the eight-track player in its vehicles the following year. The players came factory installed and dealer installed as an option to buyers on three of Ford’s 1966 models: the Thunderbird, Mustang and Lincoln. All of the Ford’s vehicles offered this tape player upgrade option on the 1967 model. And the optional eight track players were available in many cars and trucks up into the 80’s.
By 1982, the eight-track was on its way out due to smaller technology, though record clubs still sold them up until 1988.
Today is National Cheese Fondue Day
April 11th is National Cheese Fondue Day! Cheese fondue got its start as a hearty dish of the Alpine Swiss, but now is savored all over the world.
Fondue has been around as a concept for hundreds of years, but cheese fondue is generally recognized to have come into existence in 1875 when the original recipe was published.
Before then there was a dish called “fondue,” but it was more like a scramble, as there were eggs and sometimes truffles (mushrooms, not the chocolate kind!) mixed in. The problem was getting the sauce to hold – and that issue was solved in the early 1900s, when cornstarch was introduced to Switzerland.
What began with Switzerland's local cheeses like Emmenthaler and Gruyère Swiss, but cheese fondue options have expanded to incorporate a variety of cheeses and flavors to make endless combinations. And it’s not just about dipping bread. Veggies and even fruits are savored as well. Generally speaking, the fondue is cooked on a stove and then poured into the fondue pot itself when it’s served at the table, where the dipping begins. Hungry yet?
*LIST* Secret Menu Items From Your Favorite Fast Food Restaurants
It’s no secret that a lot of our favorite restaurants have secret menus, but if you don’t know what to order, you could be missing out on some tasty new eats. Here are some items that aren’t on the regular menu at popular fast food joints, but they’ll make them if you ask.
- In-N-Out Burger’s not-so-secret menu. Their “secret” menu is just a list of popular custom orders, which includes:
- A “4x4” burger comes with four beef patties and four slices of cheese
- A “protein style” burger has lettuce instead of buns
- The “Animal style” burger includes a “mustard-cooked” beef patty
- Burger King - Try their “Suicide Burger” - it’s a four-patty cheeseburger with bacon and sauce. And get a side of “Frings” too - a combo of onion rings and fries. Yum!
- Five Guys - Tired of their burgers? Mix it up with a patty melt, it’s a beef burger added to a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Taco Bell - If you try to order “The Hulk” at your local Taco Bell, you might get a blank stare. But if you ask for a bean-and-cheese burrito with guacamole, you’ll get the green meal you’re hoping for.
- Chipotle - Skip the bowl next time and order boldly with the Quesarito - a burrito wrapped in a cheese quesadilla instead of a tortilla.
- McDonald’s - Can’t decide between a McFlurry and an apple pie? Get the best of both worlds by ordering a Apple Pie McFlurry.
Source: USA Today
Travelers Don’t Have Many Rights When It Comes To Overbooked Flights
In light of the United Airlines incident yesterday, you should get up to speed on what your rights are when it comes to overbooking.
In a nutshell, we don’t have many. Thanks to the tiny print that most of us don't read we can tell you this:
- Airlines do have the power to decide who leaves a plane if volunteers do not comes forward.
- Those with disabilities, unaccompanied minors under 18, and or unaccompanied kids between ages five and fifteen using the unaccompanied minors service are “protected.”
- You get compensation if you are booted off. The Department of Transportation does have clear guidance about compensation due to fliers "involuntarily denied boarding," and that can pay off in the case of a significant inconvenience. For example, an involuntarily bumped traveler who arrives to his final destination more than four hours late is entitled to an amount worth 400% of his one-way fare (capped at a maximum of $1,350).
Other than that, flyers have no rights. Don’t be surprised if the rules change now, though. Always read the small print before flying.Source: USA Today
Talking To Your Pets Is A Sign Of Intelligence, According To Science
An expert in anthropomorphism — the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object — suggests that the science behind why people talk to animals is actually a sign of intelligence, Metro reveals.
"Historically, anthropomorphizing has been treated as a sign of childishness or stupidity, but it's actually a natural byproduct of the tendency that makes humans uniquely smart on this planet," Dr. Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago said. "No other species has this tendency."
This behavior can also extend further afield. Do you sometimes think your computer is being stubborn or that your car is being malicious? Examples like this, of attributing human qualities to non-humans, reveals our unique intelligence, according to Epley.
"For centuries, our willingness to recognize minds in non-humans has been seen as a kind of stupidity, a childlike tendency toward anthropomorphism and superstition that educated and clear-thinking adults have outgrown," he said. "I think this view is both mistaken and unfortunate.
"Recognizing the mind of another human being involves the same psychological processes as recognizing a mind in other animals, a god, or even a gadget. It is a reflection of our brain's greatest ability rather than a sign of our stupidity."
Divorce Cakes Are A Real Thing
What's more exciting than a beautiful wedding cake? A divorce cake, of course!
What's more exciting than tying the knot you ask? Oh right, finally unknotting it and letting go of the rope and nothing quite says "I did, and now I don't" more than a sweet treat.
Remember when Khloé Kardashian celebrated her split from Lamar Odom with her name change cake? Kim Say, the owner of Adult Cakes by Kim, says that requests for divorce cakes are on the rise.
One of her clients was divorcing a musician so she "got a bunch of [little plastic] guitars and then I broke them in half and I threw them all over the cake." What's more? One of Say's clients is a divorce lawyer who orders several divorce cakes per year for his clients.
Source: Reifnery29