From: "Ken Arromdee" <arromdee@rahul.net>
I'd like to point out a scientific mistake I've seen many, many times
over.
DNA is a set of instructions for how the body develops. If it's already
developed, changing it won't result in more than a person with the wrong
sex
chromosomes and maybe some hormone problems. Someone whose genes were
changed
to the opposite sex won't become the opposite sex, for the same reason
that
if you lose a leg you won't grow another one even though your DNA codes
for
having two legs.
I once had a set of instructions for how my body was to develop, but I got
exposed to an awful genetic recombinatory virus and died. Luckily, the
virus changed it so that I didn't really die and instead mutated into some
sort of pre-historic Betazoidian lizard creature. Then all the dormant
leprons turned on and I became God.
In other words, I found the story amusing, and the fact that it isn't
scientifically accurate shouldn't really matter. If you were just looking
to be a sourpuss and look for something to criticize, yes, you are right.
If you alter my DNA to the DNA of Ryo-ohki, who is currently eating my
microphone, I'm not going to turn into Ryo-ohki (but I might get a strange
craving for carrots ^_^). Look...he took Washu and Jusyenkyo and a whole
bunch of other things and made them all funny and all that jazz...it was
humourous.
The story was swell, Chris. I laughed. I laughed some more. Then I found
my box of Ding Dongs and ate one, and the laughed again.
----------------------------------
Jerry / Patch Monkey
maddhatter@earthling.net jlevine@wam.umd.edu
http://maddhatter.cjb.net
Hi. Pleased to meet you. I'm a man of wealth and
taste. I've been around for many years, and I've
stolen many a man's soul and faith. Hope you can
guess my name.