Want to clone your cat?
http://www.savingsandclone.com/services/cat_cloning.htmlWow...Just kind of wanted to throw this out there... I think it is facinating and is opening doors to the future of scientific research both for the good and the potentially very bad.
The thing that kind of gets to me though is that most people who want to clone their cats want an exact replica of their current cat. While this cloned cat may appear to be an exact physical clone of their old cat there are infinite environmental reasons that your clone will not behaviorally resemble your old cat. Some of the people who have written in have desired cloning their cat because they had a 'unique' relationship with their cat that they haven't ever had with their other pets. Um...right...good luck replicating that relationship...ha.
The other big issue I have with cloning cats is that it is COMPLETELY excessive. Take it from Bob Baker, "Get your cats spayed or neutered". Think about it.... You don't get a perfect genetic clone on your first try...believe me it isn't that easy. The latest statistic I've heard is it takes 20 pregnancies to produce ONE perfect genetic clone. What happens to all these extra kittens that are born? The company here claims they find good homes for them at their (the companies) expense . I think I'll throw my bullshit card on this one. Do you know how many animals are put to sleep every year from animal shelters because they can't find a good home? Well neither do I but I am betting on quite a few. I'm not buying their explaination about decreasing this statistic either. Point being I think they're underestimating their home-finding ability for these animals. Granted they will probably have to keep some to be the seregate mother for these animals but even so, there are only so many litters that animal can have which leads me back to still needing to find a home for these animals.
And last but not least...I have to mention it...The slippery slope. Yes, it is possible that cloning animals is just the beginning and YOU'LL be next but I personally believe A Brave New World is far from a worry at this point.
Would a virtuous person with $32,000 laying around get their cat cloned? NO...think of the millions of way you could better put that money to use. But that's a completely different issue and who am I to say how people can spend their money...i could definitely come up with worse ways to spend it...
THE conversation
I found out yesterday that it is possible for me to graduate next May so that's what I'm now shooting for. It will be hard work but it is possible so I WILL do it. I've already begun looking for jobs with the assumption that my man would be following me to this perfect postdoc. I find out last night that when asked by his parents if we had discussed marriage, that he thinks we have to wait and see what happens AFTER I graduate. Um... decision was already made to move in together in a few months and NOW, NOW, he decides WE are contingent on 'things'. OKay... not to mention that we were almost signing a loan to buy a townhouse! After many tears and a very strange discussion about him not want to drop everything and follow me, it appears as though man wants to make the decision based on where he finds his perfect job and in a place he prefers. His career is a million times more versitile than mine and my perfect postdoc is not likely going to be in place he chooses.
When hanging up the phone last night he understood that the move wasn't ever intended to be a decision I made on my own and forced him to agree with. He agreed to let me apply for anything and then we would consider placement and what I liked the best later. However, my ever over-analyzing brain tells me this problem is more deeply rooted then 'him following me somewhere'. I've evidently been 'pressuring' him to get married when the only things I've ever said about it (besides our heart to hearts) was when I SUFFERED through the weekend with my engaged/married friends when I went home for my best friends bridal shower (wedding in which I am the maid of honor and also only unmarriend participant). But apparently his freaking out about it is different than mine...because mine is pressure.
Things that sucked today:
receiving angry text messages
Undesired poking from the OBGYN this morning
Reading even angrier and very hurtful blog
Crashed compy still MIA
Running out of superglue
Replacing crashed compy and realizing there were some un-backed up important things which are now lost FOREVER :(
Chinese food for dinner
Getting a flat tire
Watching male friend replace flat tire
Being back at work after having worked all day with minor break for doctor in morning
Squinting resulting from need to change contacts
Hy-vee bag tearing and broken spaghetti jar spilling it's contents EVERYWHERE.
Knowing I have to sleep sans man tonight... believe it or not out of all the bad things today entailed this is the worst one.
Good things that happened today:
Woke up with man
Remembered and wasn't late to OBGYN
Began working on equipment needed for next weeks surgery
Surprise visit from man before he went out of town for a couple days
Watched male friend replace tire (meaning I didn't have to do it)
New compy so I can finally get some work done again
spaghetti jar broke outside.
Hopefully relaxation for an hour or two before bed...
Bad day wins...positive attitude still present so bad day= not so bad.
