Old mouse can run
We can rebuild him. We have the technology. Or at least we can make him run really fast. Much faster than the other mice.
Yes, in man’s eternal quest to give rodents a really hard time, we’ve monkeyed around with the genetic code of a white lab mouse, giving him the ability to run twice as fast as natural mice and breed much later in life than would otherwise be normal. The pairing of these two things frightens me slightly. Why can’t we start curing cancer? Y’know. The minor stuff. But apparently randy mice with a decent shot at Olympic middle distance events take precedence. I’m sure there’s a reason for creating these little buggers, but the best I can come up with is wish fulfillment for old male scientists who currently rely on Viagra and have trouble walking up the stairs without stopping for a breather.
Moose, meet Flying Lemur
Still in the rodent vain (a phrase which is giving me a case of the willies), it turns out that man’s closest relative outside of the primate family is a flying lemur. I didn’t know there was such an animal, but then I don’t really stay in touch with my relatives as often as I should. According to this article, the flying lemur has trouble climbing trees but can leap into the air and glide on stretchy flaps of skin that act like wings. Quite why this creature should be most closely related to us, I don’t know, but I do have some family members who could accurately be described as having stretchy flaps of skin. Perhaps they’re more mobile than I originally thought.
Tacky Clothes U.
Back in the world of humans, where sanity prevails, Sears is suing a university. The company, known for its heavy catalogues and complete lack of street credibility, is giving Ryerson U. a hard time because it failed to display the Sears name prominently. Ryerson students will certainly recognize the name Ted Rogers because his name is emblazoned above the door at the Ryerson business school, thanks to a $15 million donation. Sears coughed up $10 million and was rewarded with a tiny plaque. The donation, which came in the form of real estate, was transacted back in 1991. The retailer seems to have grown bitter in the intervening years, perhaps because Ted’s generosity was recognized in a more gaudy fashion, and now wants its day in court. I’m kinda glad I finished my education some years ago. Not sure I’d want to sit in the Big Mac auditorium at the University of Toronto. The Guelph Big Gulp, anyone?