BSG 4.5: Daybreak Part 2

Well done, Ron Moore and Cast, Well Done.

The series is complete, the roller coaster ride has finally come to a complete stop. It was a great run with an almost perfect ending.

So Say We All.

Interesting to note is that my mitochondrial genetic markers place my ancestors leaving East Africa 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. In case you are wondering, my mitochondrial genetic code places me in the H haplotype group.

Am I part Cylon??

I’ve been reviewing the reactions of my favorite BSG fan sites today and gathered an overall opinion that the series finale was satisfying, except for the lazy ending Ron Moore wrote for Starbuck. I quite agree, as she was the most complex and compelling character on the show. The character was given no consideration at the end, she just dissapeared from the story line. Right after the show ended, I had to run to my movie collection to pull out an old title that reminded me of what Starbuck was to the Adama family – a guardian angel. The movie is called Fiorille, which won the Palm D’Or in 1993. For Alias fans, it is an early starring role for Michael Vartan, who plays Jean, the starcrossed and doomed French soldier. The spirit of this soldier haunts the decendants of the family that had him murdered, silently appearing when they are in most need of guidance. Just like Kara, although she is definitely not the silent type.

I am hoping that Starbuck as ‘guardian angel’ is the angle Ron Moore was going after with this finale.

Genographic Study Update

So, this weekend my Genographic Particpation Kit arrived. As I read through the paperwork and watched the DVD, I discovered that my reasons for hesitation these past two years were right.

No, I do not believe this is all a nefarious government plot to gain unauthorized access to my DNA. My concerns regarding this study are grounded in reality, not based on vague fears and paranoia.

I discovered a glaring discrepancy in the method of collecting the buccal cells for DNA analysis. The DVD has the PI – Dr. Spencer Wells – demonstrating the collection procedure. He instructs the participants to scrape the inside of their cheek for 60 seconds. The writen instructions included with the kit direct participants to scrape the inside of their cheek ‘for about 30 seconds’. This is a huge no-no! Inconsistent collection leads to inconsistent results. This study already has participants collecting the sample on their own, virtually a built-in inconsistency; adding to this a discrepancy with the instructions adds another layer to the variation of collection. The structure of this study is a good example of GIGO – Garbage In Garbage Out.

The informational booklet supplied with the kit states “If the project is to be truly global, it must sample the genetic inheritance of us all – and this provides an opportunity for broad public participation as well.”

The design of this study contradicts this lofty goal when you take into account the following features of this study:

Cost: $100 plus tax and shipping. I don’t care if the test were $1, this is a financial impediment that stratifies the pool of available participants by socio-economic levels. This is not a good way to capture a broad range human DNA samples.

Results are only available to the participant online. This is technological impediment. How many people around the world have easy access to the internet? Adding to this, one must order the kit online. The financial and technical obstacles in this study narrow the pool of likely participants in this study hampering the ability of the researchers to make any determination about our ‘deep ancestry’.

I suspect this study was designed not to gather DNA for evil government purposes, but to finance grants for Dr. Wells globe-tripping research.

Where in the World are my Genes?

After two years of mulling over the idea, I’ve ordered the Participation Kit for National Geographic’s Genographic Project.

What is this, you ask?

The National Geographic Society, IBM, geneticist Spencer Wells, and the Waitt Family Foundation have launched the Genographic Project, a five-year effort to understand the human journey—where we came from and how we got to where we live today. This unprecedented effort will map humanity’s genetic journey through the ages.

With a simple and painless cheek swab you can sample your own DNA and submit it to the lab.Your results will reveal your deep ancestry along a single line of direct descent (paternal or maternal) and show the migration paths they followed thousands of years ago. Your results will also place you on a particular branch of the human family tree.

An interesting concept that provides a good primer on human genetics and human pre-history. A cursory review on the net reveals others bloggers who have particpated in this study:

Pop’s Blog
CreativeBits
Bill Hertha
PrayingMantis
Anand’s Blog
The Personal Genome