UCSF loves animals

Regarding your Sept. 28 article "Animal Instincts," I do agree with writer Tali Woodward that the struggle over animal research is polarized and emotional.

The University of California at San Francisco research community strongly believes that the strategic use of animals in an environment of high-quality care is critical to future development of therapies that will save lives and improve quality of life.

But animal research is only one part of the research enterprise at UCSF dedicated to this goal. We also do extensive research through clinical trials with human patients and through the use of computer models and cell cultures. There is an ongoing effort to use computers and cultures a s alternatives to animal research whenever possible, and over the past five years, the number of animals used in research has decreased significantly.

Our animal research and care program is strictly monitored. In addition, the purpose of the studies and the way they are carried out are seriously misrepresented.

I also would like to point out some of the inaccuracies in the article about cardiovascular research being carried out in animal studies. The research of cardiology specialist Dr. Jeffery Olgin has involved only 62 dogs over the past three years, not 750.

The studies are not to determine whether atrial fibrillation causes congestive heart failure. In fact, congestive heart failure causes atrial fibrillation, which worsens the heart failure. These studies are aimed at understanding the cellular pathways involved in how congestive heart failure produces atrial fibrillation.

In regard to the United States Department of Agriculture reports, we do not question the efforts of the USDA inspectors to properly enforce federal regulations. We do believe, however, that they were mistaken with respect to a number of their conclusions, and we stated this in our response to the agency. For instance, the correct information about one dog situation cited in the article is that the animal had tiny hairless areas on its flank, and the veterinarian who examined the dog at the time determined that they did not re quire treatment. The correct information about the size of a monkey cage referenced in the article is that the animal was in a cage that was the exact size mandated by the USDA and was able to make normal postural adjustments.

Ara Tahmassian, PhD Associate vice chancellor, research University of California at San Francisco

Tali Woodward responds: According to scientific protocols approved by UCSF, Olgin is authorized to use up to 758 dogs over three years. UCSF officials now say they have been able to reduce the number of dogs involved in these experiments by combining studies and also by developing a way to use mice for this research. At this point, they say, only 62 dogs have been used in Olgin's cardiac experiments – and they expect fewer than 75 dogs will used by the time the three-year projects are completed. We stand by our description of the goals of these experiments.

The real Lesbian Snake Charmers

After finding myself mentioned in Kimberly Chun's interesting article on Linda Perry ["Miss Understood," 10/5/05], and fielding some upset e-mails and calls from old friends and acquaintances who were there back then, I wanted to set a few things right.

Lesbian Snake Charmers was never Christa Hillhouse's or anyone's but my own band. I had already booked the initial gigs, created the logo, written and arranged all the songs, and, originally, asked another rhythm section to join (who had to back out due to other recording commitments). I handled songwriting, business, scheduling, lead vocal, and lead guitar duties. Shauna Hall and Christa approached me and asked if they could be my backup band (rhythm guitar and bass.) Wanda Day (drums) I had met through a mutual friend.

Years before, I had already played the Walnut Festival in Walnut Creek as a screaming out teen lesbian (backed by a highly nervous bunch of straight boys) and gotten away with it beautifully, so there was no way on earth I was going to be closeted in San Francisco, of all places, as an adult lesbian artist. In 1984, under one of my previous band names, Inverted Triangle, I had written and released a single, "White Night Riot," about the Moscone-Milk assassinations that received local airplay on the Quake and college stations. That single appears on volume 13 of Maximum Rock 'n' Roll's Killed by Death.

So I will kindly accept my props now for being out as a political, rock lesbian years before 4 Non Blondes, Melissa, Ellen, Rosie, whoever.

Oh, and one last thing: If the old gals want to keep dredging up my name, at least learn to spell it correctly, darlings.

Love, peace, and anarchy,

Jai Jai Noire
Oakland

For the record

Last week's Movie Clock review, of 24 Hours on Craigslist, misidentified an individual in the film. His name is MetalChef.