My rabbit doesn't have to wear my mascara anymore

After years of animal rights activists' angry letters, L’Oréal has developed a lab grown skin substitute called Episkin. Discover has an awesome article that I found most delightful and definitely needed to share:


By Anne Casselman

In cosmetic labs, rabbits donning mascara and lipstick are on the way out, while patches of lab-grown skin are in. L’Oréal has developed an uncanny human skin substitute called Episkin that is animal friendly and can determine whether an ingredient will turn toxic in the sun or corrode, penetrate, or irritate human skin.

To make Episkin, a layer of fish collagen is seeded with human skin cells discarded from plastic surgeries. “One hundred cells are able to multiply, and you can get 20 million cells within a week,” says Patricia Pineau, research communications director at L’Oréal. After seven days, voilà! You have a patch of skin that can tan and age under UV light. Last year, Episkin was used to test some 3,000 products.

Episkin is in part a response to the European Union Cosmetics Directive, which calls for a ban on all animal testing by 2013. The skin substitute is also being used to make customized grafts for burn victims and for children who can’t handle exposure to UV light without risking cancer.

Here is a link to cosmetic companies that still do animal testing:

http://www.caringconsumer.com/pdfs/companiesDoTest.pdf

And a whole web page devoted to the ones who do not:

http://www.aavs.org/compassionateshop02.html

Catwoman gets her "powers" from cats

*sigh*

I am trying my best not to allow my emotions to overcome me. But it is a matter that concerns me and every vagina and comic owning person in the free world:

Why is Catwoman portrayed as a lowly shut-in? Until she is either ravaged by cats, or um, well saved by cats? Is that what I want to say?

Let's take a peek at the offenders...Mystical cats that breathe power into the now dead Patience Phillips, after she was chased to her death down some plumbing(?). Apparently these cats have been pursuing her to see if she was worthy of their tuna scented powers. I still think they should have given the gift to a guinea pig. I'm sure it would've been smarter and not given its identity up after the first heist. (Note to future Catwomen: Do not write on objects at the scene of the crime, they can trace that)

Selina Kyle, a wronged secretary who transforms into Catwoman after being thrown from a building. Here our Selina only gains powers after some alley cats eat the fleshy parts of her fingers and whatever else our hungry felines can scour. After this, she is no longer the shy, demure secretary; she's assertive, sexy, and well versed in self defense.

What?!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I really thought the transformation was due to years of sexual abuse/prostitution. She then trained to become the person she is today. The origins always vary, but the story stays the same: Selina Kyle busted her ass and overcame her past life of abuse. And really loves cats.

Which finally brings me to my point. Or question, really. Why does Catwoman have to have something utterly ridiculous to happen to become her character? Can't she just train like the rest of them? Is it that far fetched that a female can be that strong without the aid of mystical cats? I understand that there is never enough time for origin stories, but Spiderman 3 did. And that was for 3 villains. She had her own movie for cryin' out loud. I think I had more fun getting my uterus scraped then watching that movie in its entirety.

So, why does our fearless feline get relegated to some transcendental experience while the boys get solid origin stories? I know not everyone hearts Selina Kyle as much as I do, but she deserves it, and so does every geek watching.

Perhaps someday they will make a Catwoman worthy enough that I can fully support. I just hope Ed Brubaker is behind it.