The first British baby genetically selected to be free of a breast cancer gene has been born, doctors said today. She grew from an embryo screened to ensure it did not contain the faulty BRCA 1 gene, which passes the risk of breast cancer down generations.'
What's not written in the story, is that scientists hope that further down the line they can identify the faulty BDRN gene, which passes the risk of bodhrán playing down generations, and screen embryos for it.
I'm sure there may be other applications - any ideas?
Rather than getting into GM babies to end the bodhran scourge, I'm thinking of pursuing a far greener path by founding the GLF (Goat Liberation Front), and I'll brook no interference in this endeavour by the nanny state.
Isn't it wishful fantasy to suggest we can defeat poor musicianship? Whether it is an arhythmic bodhran player, or a lead instrumentalist with an overinflated ego, we still are stuck with a fragmented and demented "session" that nobody enjoys or knows how to repair.
My advice, which I don't always follow, is to be grateful that you can still play anything that anyone would want to listen to, and just continue doing that until nobody wants to hear you anymore.
The Canadian humorist (Red Green Show) has it right! "We're all in this together, I'm pulling for you."
Ah but windybear, I can defeat it! I'm an ego-ridden alpha fiddler anchoring a session. Mr. Llig has finally converted me to the dark side. No longer will I suffer such nonsense with benign humility and a "oh dear, that's OK" attitude while other decent and listening players suffer along. Listen while you play or reap the wrath!
Au contraire, I've been looking all day for the arse I laughed clean off as soon as I read your post. It's just that I've been proper poorly with a horrible lurgy all weekend and it really hurts my ribs to laugh.
I am sorry to read that you are sick, Steve. It sounds as if you are suffering from the same thing which made my wife so miserable last weekend. She had to drink too much Robitussin last Sunday. Yes, she gradually improved and feels much better now.
I feel dramatically better this morning after spending a third night kipping downstairs in front of the fire. Until today I thought Bob The Builder had emptied a bag of spanners into my lungs. I cheered meself up last night watching Blazing Saddles on 5 with a large tumbler of Glenmorangie in hand. I live to "blow it out my ass" another day!
How do you get to be an alpha anything. Now that I am ascending in 'old farthood', I am discovering that there is some benefit to being on the 'dark side'.
So since I am working to become a primo box player, I am thinking I may actually be wanting to make the move to become the alpha box player (at least on the south side!)
You know the old saying. "nice guys finish last". So true
zippy, I have no clue how it happened. By default, is my usual answer. I was asked to start the session, I keep it glued together, people naturally ask me questions like I'm in charge or something, so...yeah, 'by default' is about as good as it gets. I think good DNA helps too. All props to Pop.
I'm not really a dark sider. I just sort of resolved not to suffer while smiling anymore. Now I'll stand up for the session while smiling, still being pleasant, of course. My friends have already teased me unmercifully: "You? Mean? You don't have it in you!" "Ha ha guys, yeah yeah, but if those three goat skinners come in here again all whacking in different rhythms..."
Mr. Shaw, Mel Brooks can cure ANYTHING! Well done sir.
Strange. I discovered that the more I grunted and groused, made myself unavailable or generally scarce for Herself's choir director, the more they seem to need me, the more respect I get, and I get to try out using some of my other instruments-box and whistle as opposed to pipe organ.
When playing the church organ, several non-musician freinds say I never smile and appear never to breath. My box teacher mentioned I was doing that when I was playing the box, and should watch myself from time to time in a mirror to observe my appearance to others.
Since I haven't turned blue or passed out, I must be recieveing adequate oxygen. But The more I closed my eyes and ignored everyone else, the better everyone says I played.
Hey zip, I don't think closing your eyes is a 'dark side' thing. Maybe telling someone to play their bodhran with a penknife? OK, but closing your eyes to get a little concentration going is not a bad thing.
Especially when the barmaid is wearing 'that' blouse again. Whew.
Zippy, if you use Duck Tape on the bodhran, the bodhran might "quack" up.
In reference to your comment about them needing you to play for church services, haven't you ever heard that the dough said it is nice to be "kneaded"?
I learned a long time ago that I don't want to be the "alpha" anything and that I prefer to be part of the supporting cast either on bass or piano because I am more comfortable in that role.
Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
From the Guardian:
'UK's first genetically selected baby born
The first British baby genetically selected to be free of a breast cancer gene has been born, doctors said today. She grew from an embryo screened to ensure it did not contain the faulty BRCA 1 gene, which passes the risk of breast cancer down generations.'
What's not written in the story, is that scientists hope that further down the line they can identify the faulty BDRN gene, which passes the risk of bodhrán playing down generations, and screen embryos for it.
I'm sure there may be other applications - any ideas?
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by continuo
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
There just has got to be a BSH1T gene. Though I guess it ain't just limited to this genre.
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by john knoss
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
I was going to add something like this (e.g. a STPDPST [stupid post] gene) in the original post, but thought it was self-evident!
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by continuo
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Why pick on bodhrans then?, let's find that gene and jeremy can halve his bandwidth
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by mcknowall
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Not sure if it's really a DNA thing, maybe more of an ailment than can be cured, any instrument can suffer from it, perhaps 'musicanus non-listenus'?
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
A good sharp knife is all you need to cure bodhran playing!
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by rob_handel
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Cold baths, strenuous games, uneatable food, and being told their hands will fall off and they'll go mad if they do it.
That is what prevented bodhran playing from becoming rife amongst the British ruling classes. Who's to say we cannot learn from the Victorians?...
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
How about eliminating the gene that causes people to post windup threads?????
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by AlBrown
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Rather than getting into GM babies to end the bodhran scourge, I'm thinking of pursuing a far greener path by founding the GLF (Goat Liberation Front), and I'll brook no interference in this endeavour by the nanny state.
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by Steve Shaw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Surely you're kidding, Steve!
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
How about the bananny state, Steve? Or, better yet, the Bananny Republic?
# Posted on January 10th 2009 by fauxcelt
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
How about curing egofiddleism that seems to afflict a good number of poor victims out there.
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by Duijera Dubh
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Al Brown - without the gene that causes people to post wind-up threads I could not bear to exist in this cold, harsh world.
I intreat your sympathy and forbearance.
Or maybe it was someone else...
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Isn't it wishful fantasy to suggest we can defeat poor musicianship? Whether it is an arhythmic bodhran player, or a lead instrumentalist with an overinflated ego, we still are stuck with a fragmented and demented "session" that nobody enjoys or knows how to repair.
My advice, which I don't always follow, is to be grateful that you can still play anything that anyone would want to listen to, and just continue doing that until nobody wants to hear you anymore.
The Canadian humorist (Red Green Show) has it right! "We're all in this together, I'm pulling for you."
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by windybaer
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Ah, nicholas, you're for the 'nurture' as opposed 'nature' side of the argument then?
As for learning from the Victorians? Hmmm, I'll have to think about that. Did you have any particular virtue in mind?
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by john knoss
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Ah but windybear, I can defeat it! I'm an ego-ridden alpha fiddler anchoring a session. Mr. Llig has finally converted me to the dark side. No longer will I suffer such nonsense with benign humility and a "oh dear, that's OK" attitude while other decent and listening players suffer along. Listen while you play or reap the wrath!
# Posted on January 11th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
I guess my suggestion about the Bananny Republic didn't appeal to Steve Shaw.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by fauxcelt
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Au contraire, I've been looking all day for the arse I laughed clean off as soon as I read your post. It's just that I've been proper poorly with a horrible lurgy all weekend and it really hurts my ribs to laugh.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Steve Shaw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
I am sorry to read that you are sick, Steve. It sounds as if you are suffering from the same thing which made my wife so miserable last weekend. She had to drink too much Robitussin last Sunday. Yes, she gradually improved and feels much better now.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by fauxcelt
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
I feel dramatically better this morning after spending a third night kipping downstairs in front of the fire. Until today I thought Bob The Builder had emptied a bag of spanners into my lungs. I cheered meself up last night watching Blazing Saddles on 5 with a large tumbler of Glenmorangie in hand. I live to "blow it out my ass" another day!
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Steve Shaw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Seamus Ennis said it all.
"The bodhran should be played with an open penknife".
Period.
# Posted on January 12th 2009 by Peter O'Connor
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Hey SWFL
How do you get to be an alpha anything. Now that I am ascending in 'old farthood', I am discovering that there is some benefit to being on the 'dark side'.
So since I am working to become a primo box player, I am thinking I may actually be wanting to make the move to become the alpha box player (at least on the south side!)
You know the old saying. "nice guys finish last". So true
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
My cure for bodhran playing...charcoal lighter fluid.
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
zippy, I have no clue how it happened. By default, is my usual answer. I was asked to start the session, I keep it glued together, people naturally ask me questions like I'm in charge or something, so...yeah, 'by default' is about as good as it gets. I think good DNA helps too. All props to Pop.
I'm not really a dark sider. I just sort of resolved not to suffer while smiling anymore. Now I'll stand up for the session while smiling, still being pleasant, of course. My friends have already teased me unmercifully: "You? Mean? You don't have it in you!" "Ha ha guys, yeah yeah, but if those three goat skinners come in here again all whacking in different rhythms..."
Mr. Shaw, Mel Brooks can cure ANYTHING! Well done sir.
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Strange. I discovered that the more I grunted and groused, made myself unavailable or generally scarce for Herself's choir director, the more they seem to need me, the more respect I get, and I get to try out using some of my other instruments-box and whistle as opposed to pipe organ.
When playing the church organ, several non-musician freinds say I never smile and appear never to breath. My box teacher mentioned I was doing that when I was playing the box, and should watch myself from time to time in a mirror to observe my appearance to others.
Since I haven't turned blue or passed out, I must be recieveing adequate oxygen. But The more I closed my eyes and ignored everyone else, the better everyone says I played.
Must be something to the 'dark side' approach
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Oh
and the best way to tape a bodhran-Duct Tape
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Hey zip, I don't think closing your eyes is a 'dark side' thing. Maybe telling someone to play their bodhran with a penknife? OK, but closing your eyes to get a little concentration going is not a bad thing.
Especially when the barmaid is wearing 'that' blouse again. Whew.
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Science to Cure Bodhran Playing
Zippy, if you use Duck Tape on the bodhran, the bodhran might "quack" up.
In reference to your comment about them needing you to play for church services, haven't you ever heard that the dough said it is nice to be "kneaded"?
I learned a long time ago that I don't want to be the "alpha" anything and that I prefer to be part of the supporting cast either on bass or piano because I am more comfortable in that role.
# Posted on January 13th 2009 by fauxcelt