You wouldn’t think the genome sequencing for an ear of corn would turn out to be one of the most complex sequencing that scientists have concluded.  The reason for such complexity is that about 85 percent of its DNA is composed of transposable elements — segments of DNA that can move between locations.

Wait.  When did Europe become a country?  I mean, aside from the whole EU thing?  Anyways, in a closed door meeting, Belgium’s prime minister, Herman Van Rompuy, became the first president of the continent, though it doesn’t seem like any Europeans voted in an election or how it was determined he would be the president. 

“Van Rompuy, a soft-spoken fan of Japanese poetry, beat out contenders including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for a post whose duties are not yet clear.”  What they leave it out is that he sort of looks like Dick Cheney’s doofy younger brother.

Sounds like a good job though.

I don’t know if this made big news or not, but I was fascinated with the story of Belle de Jour, the anonymous sex blogger from London (most people might know that the Showtime series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, is loosely based on her blog)finally revealed her identity. 

The best part is that  she’s a scientist! Dr. Brooke Magnanti is not just a high-class call girl, but a specialist in ”developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology. She has a PhD in informatics, epidemiology and forensic science and is now working at the Bristol Initiative for Research of Child Health. She is part of a team researching the effects of exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos on foetuses and infants.”

So basically, every geeks dream girl.  Darren from LinkMachineGo, guessed Belle de Jour’s identity soon after her blog started. How? Before becoming an anonymous sex-blogger, Brooke Magnanti ran an obscure Robotwisdom-style link blog and wrote in a few other places ; Darren recognized the writing style. Rather than reveal the secret he set up a method to detect people searching for her secret identity and tipped Magnanti off that The Daily Mail was sniffing around. [via]

If you’re sitting in an airport (American, I suppose only) this morning, wondering why you’re sitting there and not on a plane that was supposed to leave on time, it seems to be a glitch in the FAA’s flight plan computer system; it’s causing delays and cancellations nationwide. If they won’t open the bars yet, I hope you bought a flask for it could be a long day. Too bad this didn’t happen sooner, I could’ve used another day or two in Maui. (Thanks, mom)

How was everyone’s week?  We’re back from Maui and still unpacking, laundering and catching up on e-mails, life, the internets, etc.  Seems like it was jam-packed week.  We’ve got photos of Maui and a brief write up coming.  We should be in the full swing of things tomorrow.

I’ll be backpacking and hiking through Maui for the next week.  To be sure there will also be lots of beach time, cocktails with umbrellas, fish tacos, volcanoes and great Hawaiian coffee.  Pineapple.  Did I mention fresh pineapple? Anyways, it’s an early 30th birthday present.  Posting will be light, as in almost non-existent.

I’m trying to promise Lady Oyster that I’ll be off email, cellphone, the site, etc. for an entire week.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it, however.  We’ll be back next Wednesday with bloggy goodness and possibly sporadically throughout the week.

237 members of Congress are millionaires (44 percent) compared to only 1 percent of the actual US population as millionaires. “The CRP numbers are somewhat rough estimates – lawmakers are required to report their financial information in broad ranges of figures, so it’s impossible to pin down their dollars with precision. The CRP uses the mid-point in the ranges to build its estimates. Senators’ estimated median reportable worth sunk to about $1.79 million from $2.27 million in 2007. The House’s median income was significantly lower and also sank, bottoming out at $622,254 from $724,258 in 2007. But CRP’s analysis suggests that some lawmakers did well for themselves between 2007 and 2008, even as many Americans lost jobs and saw their savings and their home values plummet.” [via]

Water droplets interacting with water at 2,000 frames per second.  They can bounce!  Incredible. [via]

[via]

Go figure that the mainstream media wouldn’t provide an ample description of what the Bart Stupak Amendment is all about and that a little old blog would.  This is hardly surprising, but always disappointing when it happens.  And only reinforces the notion that the MSM isn’t muckraking enough.

I’m not surprised by any of the breweries on this list, nor am I surprised by their ranking.  I don’t really consider Sam Adams (Boston Brewery) a craft brewery anymore.  They’re just too big, too national; they’ve traded in their quality of product for the ability to compete with the macro-domestics.  But otherwise, you can’t go wrong with any of the breweries on this list.  They’re all making great, quality beers.

My 10 favorite from this list would be (in no particular order): Deschutes, Magic Hat, Matt Brewing Co. (Saranac), Stone Brewing, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, Brooklyn Brewery, Rogue, Abita, and Shipyard.

No word on if Indiana Jones was spotted nearby, but good news!: “The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago might have been finally located, solving one of archaeology’s biggest outstanding mysteries, according to Italian archaeologists.  Bronze weapons, a silver bracelet, an earring and hundreds of human bones found in the vast desolate wilderness of the Sahara desert have raised hopes of finally finding the lost army — 50,000 strong — of Persian King Cambyses II, buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C.”

If any of the companies  can’t, at the very least, break even with James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi extravaganza Avatar then they shouldn’t be in the business of financially backing movies. 

This winter, Avatar is the only motion picture event.  There is no Harry Potter, no Lord of the Rings, no obvious competition for this type of film.

Especially when you look at all the numbers involved between a $300 million production budget, $150 million marketing/publicity budget, 14 years spend developing the necessary camera technology.  Yeah, sure there are no bankable stars, but it’s directed by James “freaking” Cameron?!? I get worried reading between the lines that Fox is already making excuses for the movies perceived failure.