Searchin for Urchin

This week had a number of noteables in various news:

Some Christian leader gets caught with methamphetamines after apparently sodomizing (or being sodomized by--for some reason this image is funnier) a gay prostitute in Denver. He was actually from Colorado Springs, the Christian-cult capitol of the world but having lived in colorado for a while, I can say that I can be certain that one would have to travel to Denver to find dick-ass meth action for sale. This immediately brought lyrics to mind from the Marilyn Manson song "cake and sodomy" that goes: "hey white trash get on your knees, time for cake and sodomy". When will these people get their fairy tale shit together (no pun intended).

This was of course appropriately followed within days by the practical raping of the republican party via the democratic process of VOTING, and eventual resignation of war monger (or war mangler) Don "Rummy" Rumsfeld. Anyhow...

I have been working with the Sea Urchin genome, which seams all nice and such with the minor exception I have no idea how to pronounce "Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus" or 'Sp' for short (I just call it "spurchin" cause it sounds like something you shouldn't say at work, but is still apparently meaningless).

In unrelated news, the French have recreated the influenza virus of 1918 through fabrication from DNA sequence information, as well as some ancient retrovirus (HIV is a retrovirus) that was deduced from genomic information. In other words, some virus which has never existed during written history, and is known to be capable of infecting human cells has been resurrected by the French. This is the point one would insert some derogatory comment about the French, but I remember this story once about some German and American physicists and their huge technical achievements in quantum mechanics and atomic physics. It was really useful stuff until somebody had the brilliant idea to use this knowledge to BLOW SHIT UP (I think its called a nuclear bomb). Anybody who thinks biotechnology and medicine isn't going to lead to the same mistake of EPIC PROPORTIONS has their head up their ass. Oh, and in case your wondering, I work in biotech as a profession, so my perspective is at least an educated one, if not accurate.


Oh.. and my flower update: My complex Paphiopedillum hybrid is beginning to bloom, and I am now the proud owner of a few antelope orchids (Dendrobium antennatum). See pic.

Today's Random Google Query: different ye quarter
People's Daily Online -- CPC central committee to give reforms boost
Ye Olde Original Dungeon French Quarter New Orleans, LA
The Romance of Old Philadelphia: Chapter 7