We Almost Have 4 New Mummichog DNA Sequences From Martha's Vineyard

Kris has been poking along and is almost ready to run sequences of cyt-b mtDNA from 4 mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus, that I collected on the Vineyard 10 years ago almost to the day today. We're grateful to Leland in the Podila lab for advising Kris on the best ways to purify and concentrate the DNA for a clean sequencing. This involved buying some new L primer that we use from local biotech company Operon. With our university discount, it was only $6.44 which should hold us a while. Thanks to Operon for suffering my initial confusions in placing the order. With these sequences we should have a reasonable data set of mummichog sequences from Cape Cod to Charleston, SC.

I'm postponing my flame chub trip to Anniston, AL, to Saturday, October 6. Andrew wants to go, but he was given a free three-day ticket worth $60 to attend Big Spring Jam (local music festival) next weekend. So we'll wait. I keep hearing that Big Spring Jam will always invite 3 big-name redneck bands like Skynyrd or Hank Williams, Jr. since they try to be all things to all people (Please, no! No more "Free Bird"! I wanna get away from negative sterotypes.). I'm not sure which bands fit that bill this year. But Dr. John and the North Mississippi All Stars are playing on Sunday, so I might spring money to go see them.

And now, back to grading exams from my freshman classes. As always the grades are all over the place, from the 20s to 103 out of 100. The reality of university education begins to set in for many.......